


Beast and the Beauty

by HackdrawerMcHugglesWorthRivertonThe3rd



Category: One Piece
Genre: Awkward Romance, Bad Zeff, Beauty and the Beast Elements, Comedy, Donquixote Family Shenanigans, Fairytale Dramatics, Fantasy AU, M/M, Pervert Rayleigh, rom com
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-18 16:36:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 17
Words: 98,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28995357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HackdrawerMcHugglesWorthRivertonThe3rd/pseuds/HackdrawerMcHugglesWorthRivertonThe3rd
Summary: Tsuru's spell, intended for Doflamingo, changed Law into a beast. Now in his twenty-second year, he has to find true love, and get their love in return. But Sanji's set to marry someone else, Hunter Zoro wants his head, and the Donquixote family is insistent that he bring a virgin home. AU, fairytale, language, extreme dramatics * COMPLETED *
Relationships: Trafalgar D. Water Law & Vinsmoke Sanji, Trafalgar D. Water Law/Vinsmoke Sanji
Comments: 24
Kudos: 62





	1. The Enchantress Tsuru

The castle atop of Flower Hill was massive – it spread over the hilltop in a foreboding mixture of uneven towers, walls, and windows with bright pink trim. The small valley was ruled by a ferocious man that rendered the entire countryside into complete compliance with his power, and devoted family. Not only did he take advantage of the land's resources with nearby mines, a thick logging forest – rumored to be enchanted – and nearby river for smuggling purposes, but he also taxed the hardworking people of their earnings.

Power was heavy in his hands, and while the townspeople could not escape, they prospered as best as they could. Their resentment grew until one dark and stormy night, they all agreed that enough was enough. In secret, they gathered together to come up with a plan to overthrow him. But in the end, all they could do was pray for a miracle.

Two nights later, their miracle arrived in the form of an old gentleman that staggered up to the castle. With pelting rain and flashing lighting in the sky, he appeared at the heavy wood doors, knocking with as much strength as he could muster. The manservant let him in with careful ushering, guards shifting around restlessly as they took in the sight of the tall man in a black cloak, looking ominous in the faint candlelight. He carried a basket at his side, and the manservant led the way from the door to the main hallway, where he indicated for the man to wait while he retrieved the master.

In this castle, along with the young master and his friends, resided a gaggle of children, adopted from the harsh living areas of the town outside. All of them were either abandoned or forgotten by their real families, and had found a home in the castle, all of them spoiled rotten thanks to the young master. One of them was awake at this hour, looking up from his books in the nearby library. At the sound of voices in the Great Hall, he wandered in that direction to see what the commotion was about.

As the young master made his way downstairs, yawning noisily, wearing a fuchsia feather robe and slippers, the old man looked at him with a frown. The young master took one look at him and drew back with a startled gasp.

"Ugh, kill it with fire," he complained. "Why are you dripping on my zebra skin rugs?"

The old man glowered at him, then reached into his basket. He withdrew a mirror, looking at himself with examination before glaring daggers at the young master. "You bastard. This is how you greet me? While I'm in this state?"

Momentarily blinded from the light reflecting off the glass, the young master lowered his arm and said, "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be up - ?"

"I was just in town. It has come to my attention that you've driven all townspeople into the corner, forcing them to make grave decisions."

Befuddled, the young master stared at him as he put the mirror away. "Well, that's just how it works. I mean, this is an obvious dictatorship, and I am a mighty lord. Human beings in a mob, and what's a mob to a king? What's a king to a god? Out of all of these, I am obviously a god."

Corazon rolled his eyes. "Because of your way of thinking, I have been summoned..."

Doflamingo sighed heavily, head tilted back with exasperation. The child from earlier drew closer to stand behind him in order to better see what was happening, the guards moving around anxiously.

"…to force you to repent for your actions."

" _Right_ ," the young master muttered, shaking his head. "Cora, go back to bed. You're sleepwalking again."

"Not this time, Doffy."

Doflamingo looked on with an unimpressed expression as his younger brother reached for something else inside his basket. Once Corazon withdrew his trembling fist, he stepped back in alarm, the guards shuffling around nervously, alerted to the tension.

"For your crimes - !"

"Wait a minute - !"

" – _Glitter Bomb_!"

The guards gasped as Doflamingo jumped out of the way, brilliant speckles of glitter flying everywhere, hitting the kid full force. He cried out with dismay, sputtering as glitter fluttered down to the stone floors, flickering in the candlelight. The guards relaxed, much eye rolling occurring as Corazon looked at the boy with consternation.

Heaving with exertion, Doflamingo glared at him. He whipped his robe about, feathers fluttering around him. "If that had hit me, I'd be so pissed. I'd hate to find glitter in my secret crevices."

"Well, some old broad gave it to me in town, I thought it would be funny," Corazon said with a shrug. "Anyway, people are pissed at you, and they're talking about rebelling against you for all your shitty crimes."

" _Damn_ them," Doflamingo muttered, looking down at the kid that growled at Corazon, covered in glitter. "Law. What are you doing out of bed?"

"I was reading," Law snapped at him, flicking out his arms. " _Damn_ you. Cora. I can feel glitter _everywhere_. Idiot!"

Corazon wiped his hand on his cloak, pulling his hood down. His makeup was smeared, hair hanging over his eyes, and he straightened to full height, back popping. "It was meant for Doffy. Oh, and I'm supposed to say, 'As punishment for your crimes, you will transform into a beast, for which the spell will only break by true love's first kiss.'"

"HAH!" Doflamingo laughed. "What sort of stupid spell is that? I can find true love in an instant!"

"How many dates have you had so far?"

"… _Shit_."

"HAH!" Corazon looked at him with a smirk. "You'd only fall in love with yourself."

Doflamingo gave him a puzzled look. "What's wrong with that? I'm beautiful. I'd have some trouble kissing myself, through, I admit."

Corazon trailed off from his reply as he realized that Law was changing right in front of their eyes. First, from his hair emerged a pair of spotted curled horns, ears shifting from the sides of his head to narrowing outward, flopping doglike, behind his horns; his forehead shifted out and over beastly narrowed eyes; nose and mouth shifted outward, pointed and narrow, teeth shifting around with popping noises. Over his human skin pushed out black fur; his back lifted up and hunched, shoulders broadening to accommodate longer arms; his hands shifted into paws, claws curling out and down. From his backside emerged a thick tail, heavily furred. His legs shifted, knees breaking and reforming, doglike, underneath him. He uttered childish cries of fear until his voice deepened slightly, tonal with a heavier rumble.

Corazon screamed, long and high pitched, dropping his basket. The guards cried out in horror, and Doflamingo gaped, mouth wide open.

The little beast looked at his hands, examined his legs, and screeched long and loud. " _CORA_! YOU BASTARD!"

" _AHHHH_!"

" _And you tried doing this to me_?" Doflamingo cried, pointing at him.

Corazon upended his basket, the mirror shattering on the floor, along with his cigarettes, his matches, some other odds and ends he'd picked up from town. Before he could say or do anything, the remaining glitter around them began to lift. Already stunned over what had happened to Law, all of them watched as glitter pulled up from the floor and began to swirl around, forming a showy mist of neon colors and sparkling stars. It all shot upward, causing everyone to cry out once more, mist building over the entire castle like a thick fog.

Minutes later, after the mist dissipated, the castle was silent.

Law stood there, eyes wide. The deathly still silence was utterly terrifying. It took him some minutes to adjust to his new vision – black and white, his vision slightly skewered with his newly set eyes, but his other senses on a higher working level. He took a cautious step forward, unsure of the foreboding sensation around him. There were piles of clothes were the guards once stood, as well as Corazon's hooded cape, Doflamingo's feathered robe and slippers. But no sign of any man.

He then heard slight coughing, a grumble from the side.

"Cora?" he called tentatively, wincing at the sound of his voice.

"I'm here!" Corazon replied, very nearby. "…Hey, where are you? Law?"

"Cora? _Where_?" Law called out, looking around anxiously, not seeing the man or his brother.

"What's the big idea? Literally? Why are you suddenly ten feet tall?" Doflamingo shouted out from his side, Law looking in that direction. He didn't see the man anywhere, but the candlelight reflected off something shiny. He looked down, eyes widening with horror. "What? What's wrong?"

"Law? _Law_! AGH! _WHAT IS THAT THING_? IT'S MOVING!"

"WHAT? WHAT IS _THAT_? WHY IS IT MOVING?"

" _Oh, no_!" Law cried with horror, watching the brothers identify each other, both of them shouting out with horror, looking at each other. " _CORA_! _DOFFY_?"

"THIS IS ALL _YOUR_ FAULT!"

"IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A JOKE!"

"Who was this old woman?" Doflamingo snarled.

"Some old lady!" Corazon cried in a panic. "Law! _Law_! Go find her!"

"That will be unnecessary."

The three of them whirled around, looking at the front door as it opened and closed. The woman stood there as she removed her wet hood, looking down at them victoriously. Her wizened features glowed, her hair glittering with some rain drops. Standing rigid and proud, she surveyed what she could of the Great Hall before looking down at the three visible to her. She then performed a double take as she realized that she was looking at a very small beast.

"Doflamingo?" she asked cautiously, looking skeptical.

"NO! OLD BAT! DIE!"

"Oh, my…oh…Corazon, you were supposed to hit your brother!" she admonished sharply.

"I tried! That wasn't ordinary glitter, was it?"

With a sigh, she said, "No, idiot, it was a very powerful spell. The townspeople paid me, Tsuru, grandly for it. But I found myself in the tavern for too long, and was too drunk to follow through with it. I had to rely on you."

"Damn them! I should've raised their taxes, so that they had no extra money to spend on things like these!" Doflamingo growled, causing her attention to go his way.

"Well, well, well! Isn't this fitting?" Tsuru laughed, hands on her narrow hips. "Your new shape suits you!"

"Change us back!" Law cried, taking the steps necessary to grab her cloak. "Change us back, _now_!"

"I'm afraid I can't do that. There is only one way to undo the spell," she said gently. "Unfortunately, I had thought Corazon would hit his brother, not…one of the children. Oh well. Which one are you, kid?"

"I'm Law."

"All of your kids are just as spoiled as you are, right?" she asked Doflamingo, glaring down at him. "All of them with vile reputations, spoiled rotten – going through the town with their antics! Don't think I didn't see the church riddled with their graffiti, and heard the tales of woe from the townspeople regarding their sticky fingers in the market place. This will work just as well."

"You can't do this! _Witch_!" Doflamingo cried. "Change us back, now!"

She placed a hand over her mouth, burping delicately. "I'm sorry, but what's done is done. It is what it is. Look, the only way the spell can be broken is if, hmm, let's see, let's do a little rearranging. Law, how old are you?"

"Ten."

"Alright, then, listen carefully, you three…after his twenty-second birthday, the spell will be broken if he finds someone to fall in love with him, and he with them. I'm only saying 'them' because it _has_ to be true love – I don't give a shit if it's a female or male, because it's pretty liberal around here."

"I don't want to fall in love!" Law cried, large tears falling from his eyes. "How am I supposed to rule the world with Doffy if I have a wife?"

"That's my boy!" Doflamingo said with pride.

"I didn't agree to this. But whatever. Falling in love would be a wonderful thing! You can do it!" Corazon said encouragingly.

"I just had a pretty young thing on my lap that made me fall in love with her, tonight, so I'm widening the spectrum. Originally, I'd planned on killing you all, but because of my rose tinted glasses, I'm feeling a little adventurous," Tsuru said, holding out her hands. She then produced with a flourish from her cape a single black rose. Tightly budded, it glimmered briefly in her grasp.

"Law, don't be scared," Corazon said gently. "I'm sure we can figure this out."

Law looked at him, then kicked him, causing the older woman to step back with a startled gasp. "This is all _your_ fault! Old woman! I had nothing to do with this! Change me back! Or at least switch me with Doffy!"

"Can't do it. It's set. Anyway, this flower will bloom after your twenty-second birthday, and you have until it dies to find true love. I say twenty-second, because it's important to sow all your oats until then, make a good husband to somebody worthy," she said with a squint. "I wasn't ready to settle down until a good time afterward, so I figure this is a good range. Get out all your playboy wiles out before then, okay?"

" _What if I don't_? Because I'm a fucking _beast_?"

"Tut, tut, such language! Then all of you will die, and no one will miss you," she said firmly.

"…Well, that's it. It's over with," Doflamingo decided. "Because there's no woman alive that will fall in love with a damn dog."

"THIS IS ALL _YOUR_ FAULT!" Law shouted at him. "If the townspeople didn't hate you so much, this wouldn't have happened in the first place!"

"Oh, ho ho hoho!" she laughed, releasing the flower. In a shower of glitter, it disappeared. "You'd be surprised. People are willing to try anything, once. In my day, I - ! Well, let's just say you remind me of someone from my past. Despite his appearance as a beast, I would've allowed him entrance to the back door – "

"STOP! He's only _ten_!" Corazon cried in horror.

"You're right, you're right. _Well_. You've got twelve years to adjust. I suggest you use it wisely. Oh, and before I forget – you'll be able to leave the castle grounds, but none of you will be able to leave the valley. I'm not that heartless. Now, I'm running back to the tavern – that little lass left me breathless the first time, and I'm ready for round five! Ho hohohohoho!"

She disappeared in a flurry of glitter and neon colored smoke, leaving all of them with stunned expressions.

Law looked at the brothers, then gave a loud wail, running away from them. "I hate both of you!"

"This is 100% your fault," Doflamingo said to Corazon.

"No, it's yours, because the townspeople wanted to storm the castle with pitchforks and fire. I essentially saved all of us."

Doflamingo turned away from him, narrowing his eyes. "I wonder what everyone else looks like…"

And so, the castle atop of Flower Hill, under the curse of Tsuru, deteriorated. The townspeople were shocked that Doflamingo was no longer there – it as if the entire family had disappeared into thin air. They thanked Tsuru, but she left them with a warning: "Do not enter beyond those gates – for the castle is haunted."

"Then how about we blow it up?" one of the townspeople suggested, all of them murmuring in agreement.

"No, you idiots! Leave it! As a reminder to all of you – there once lived a family powerful enough to destroy the lot of you, so let it sit there, proud and beautiful, to show proof that you escaped sure death. Let it warn others of their power – if anyone else should take the spot Doflamingo vacated, not to follow his lead and force all of you to band together to conspire to kill them."

At all their blank expressions, Tsuru 'tch'd', and turned and walked away. The baker looked at the locksmith and muttered, "What a nut."

"Let's burn it down!"

"Blow it up!"

"That way, _no one_ rules over us! We can make our own bad decisions!"

"Yeah!"

So the townspeople banded together, loading their wagons and horses with enough TNT to blow up the entire castle. But something happened. All around the outside stone walls, large vines began pulling up from the grounds, spiraling upward. Thorns emerged from these vines, and glistened as they curled over the walls, creating a powerful fence that made it nearly impossible to penetrate. Disappointed, the townspeople retreated.

For years after that, many of them shared stories of hearing awful noises coming from the castle – roaring of a beast, screams, shouts, disembodied voices, loud, obnoxious laughter, so it became clear to the townspeople that it was, indeed, haunted. The spirits of the family that once lived there, ruling over the valley, still lingered inside the castle walls. From time to time, they'd see moving lights in the windows, hearing movement from behind the walls of vine and stone, and were certain that things rustled in the enchanted forest surrounding it.

This alone terrified most of the people into moving out of the valley. Tsuru visited from time to time, but only because she'd fallen in love with one of the tavern wenches, and when that romance failed, she disappeared for years.

Legend had it that there was a beast living in the castle, and that it was Doflamingo. This encouraged hunters from all over the region to try their best at scaling the walls and entering the castle grounds, and this was where the rumors of the haunted castle intensified. They were discouraged by flying objects that hit them from out of nowhere, and voices called out to them with worry, or rage. They sometimes caught sight of the beast that lived in the castle, peering down at them from one of the windows, or slinking away from their sight – it was a ghastly thing to behold, because the thing was large, walked like a wolf, and growled at them viciously as it disappeared out of sight. No one had a good look at it, but from combined sightings, artists were able to render the creature's appearance that circulated throughout the town.

So more legends were formed to scare misbehaving children into behaving.

As the years past, the roars grew stronger and louder, and sometimes during those dark and stormy nights, the noises would ring out over the village, audible over the thunder. The worry that the beast was no longer confined to the castle began to grow when townspeople noticed that the enchanted forest seemed to talk louder than usual. Things began missing from the town – small things that made people wonder if they were only imagining it.

But in spite of this, people began to notice that the vines that once hugged the stone walls were dying – thorns lost their strength, and unknown blossoms bloomed that encouraged the admiration of local women. The enchanted forest didn't seem so haunted, and this encouraged brave townspeople to venture up to the castle once more, emboldened by dares to steal off with flowers from the vines to present to their crush or lady loves in town.

Little did they know, it was only because the black rose had started to bloom.

This was the year the beast had finally turned twenty-two.


	2. Sanji

The tavern was full of people coming in from the rain outside, and the cramped quarters made him more prickly than usual. Seventeen year old Sanji moved through the kitchen with a grumble, holding hot plates in his hands as he made his way to the tables, depositing the plates with easy action. The fire burning in the hearth made the tavern overly warm, so he was already sweaty, and Zeff still wasn't back from his trip east, so this made him antsy. Not that he openly cared for the old man, but he relied on him for the supplies and networks necessary to keep the place operational.

"Hey, busboy, what's this slop?" one of the newcomers asked, looking at his bowl. Sanji paused in mid step and looked back, much to the entertainment of those that knew what his expression meant. The man must be a hunter, new to the area, and not yet aware of Sanji's temper. "What are these weird vegetables? Where is the meat?"

"'Slop'?" Sanji repeated, dangerously low as he turned to face him. The hunter looked at him with a frown, realizing something significant was going to happen. "Did you just call my shitty food ' _slop'_?"

"He's new, he didn't mean anything by it," one of the hunters nearby said hastily, waving his hands about. "C'mon, Sanji, calm down."

"Hey, what's it to you?" the hunter complained, dropping his utensil with a frown. "So what? If it looks like shit, it probably taste like sh – "

Sanji grabbed the back of his head, yanking back on his hair. With a large spoonful, he shoved the mixture of vegetables into the man's mouth and held onto his nose. The man struggled for a few moments, then swallowed hard. Sanji shoved in another spoonful, and another, until the hunter signaled that he could feed himself. Releasing him, Sanji stood over him with a glare, arms crossed, the man finishing the rest of it under pressure. Once he was through, wiping his bearded face with a napkin, Sanji then jerked him out of his seat and kicked him through the doors, right into the pounding rain. Everyone around him shifted uncomfortably, eating their food without saying anything.

"If you have shit to say about the shit I serve, you'll say it right now, to my fucking face!" he then shouted out, looking at every one of them. "If not, eat every bite, because once you leave here, you don't know when your next meal will be. For those intending on climbing those goddamn walls on Flower Hill, you're guaranteed to shit your pants leaving that place! This mixture is intended on full fiber shit, and not the kind of shit that will leave your pants wet until you come back here!"

Seeing that everyone was more appreciative of his stew, Sanji then gathered the abandoned dishware and utensils and stalked back into the kitchen.

"What a shrew," someone muttered under his breath.

"What's your problem?" the cook asked impatiently as Sanji dumped the items into the sink.

"These assholes don't appreciate what they're being given," Sanji muttered, looking over the next lineup of plates that were awaiting distribution. "Has anyone heard from that shitty old man, yet?"

"You asked that a few minutes ago, and, no, we haven't!"

"You think he died on his way back? Because that's the only reason I can think of for him not returning on time!"

"So dramatic!"

"Well, if he's not here within the next hour, I'll go set out to look for that shitty bastard," Sanji muttered, looking out the nearby window with a frown. The rain was coming down hard, and while it spelled good news for the fields in the area, it was treacherous for those on various footpaths in the valley. There was the danger of washouts, mudslides and horses tripping in the mud. Zeff was only supposed to be gone for a few hours, and it was taking most of the day – so Sanji was on edge.

"Look, if it makes you happy, we'll send out a couple of guys," the cook said, heaving a sigh. "My son has a good horse. I can send him."

"Good, I'm glad you suggested it. I figure I'd catch cold with my delicate system."

" _Brat_ ," the cook muttered as Sanji rounded up more full plates and set out to meet and greet the newest travelers coming in.

Since news of the vines easing their hold on the stonewalls of the Donquixote castle on Flower Hill, hunters from all over were eager to scale them and find the beast that was rumored to be living inside. The town had been peppered with men from all over, wanting a chance to obtain that prize. He thought it was stupid, hunting a mythical creature that parents only used to scare their children with – Zeff had used it on him a few times, but he'd grown smart to it, challenging the old man into proving the thing's existence.

While he definitely believed in the enchanted forest that carried mysterious voices, having been there a few times himself, he didn't believe in the aptly named "Beast". He had heard the roaring and screaming coming from the castle, as all townspeople had before, but he attributed to pranksters, to animals not yet hunted from the forest. There were cow sized boars in the mountains that made weird mating calls, and elk that whistled fiercely – along with many other creatures that man had yet to face, and Sanji fiercely believed that it was only those and not some cursed creature like everyone said.

He and Zeff had arrived in the small town a few years back, so they weren't present when Tsuru had made her magic known on a powerful family that once ruled over the valley. By the time they'd settled in, the legend was already set and the vines were locked up tight. It was only very recently, this present day of October, that they'd loosened and bloomed beautiful flowers that women fawned over.

And with that the hunters arrived, so the tavern, the entire town, had been busy. Good for business, bad for his patience.

He had just finished serving the newest group when the doors slammed open, and he looked over with a cranky greeting. He then stopped in mid-call, frowning at the man that walked in.

This hunter had made himself well known to the entire town within the past three days since he'd arrived, and Sanji could not stand him. This man was smug, admittedly strong, and entirely full of himself, and he made it clear that he had his eyes on Sanji. Which pissed Sanji off, because Sanji was already promised to an older gentleman. And every time this guy came around, Sanji couldn't quite focus on his intended – much to Zeff's concern, because he'd made the arrangements in the first place.

Most of the hunters newly arrived to town looked at the man with frowns, paused in mid-chew or lift. After all, Zoro Roronoa was quite infamous amongst them, being a fabled hunter – able to find his target and take the kill without trouble. His reputation was admired by many, feared by most, and he had decided to take on the hunt of the Beast for himself. But he found himself distracted by Sanji, intending on taking home _two_ prizes from this valley town.

"Ale, and whatever you got on the stove," Zoro said to Sanji, taking his place near the hearth, some men clearing out from the table with unease. He set his swords down, his pack, and propped his boots up on the tabletop without a care in the world. Sanji glared at him, setting down the last of the plates in hand, and then marching to his table. He slapped his muddy boots from the table and leaned on it to glare at him.

The green haired man smiled smugly at him, adjusting his rain soaked cloak to the back of his chair.

"Get your filthy boots off the table, and don't relax like you live here, green haired scum!" Sanji snapped at him.

"Heard you've been busy all day, that's why you haven't been outside, just yet," Zoro said, reaching out the snatch the tie to Sanji's shirt, unraveling the collar. Sanji stood up and snarled, tying it back to its proper knot before kicking the table hard and walking off. Zoro relaxed in his chair and waited, everyone diverting their attention to dinner. A busboy hurried around, gathering empty plates and used utensils, refilling drinks hastily as those that had their fill left, leaving open spaces on battered chairs and scarred tables.

When Sanji returned, he slammed the mug down in front of him, and served the stew, Zoro looking at both with approval.

"Once this rain lets up, I had planned on leaving," Zoro said, picking up his fork. "But maybe it's to my advantage that I take this storm on, too."

"Hopefully you slip and die on your way up, asswad," Sanji said, checking the busboy's progress.

"Probably not. I wouldn't go down like that," Zoro said, tasting the stew. He approved of it. "More than likely, I'll be felled by a stronger opponent than some rain and mud. Probably by your fiancé. Which would make it okay, considering how strong of an opponent he'd be."

He looked Sanji over – it was a damn shame how the owner of the tavern had already promised this fine specimen of a man to another of his own age. Zoro had been disappointed, but he was a patient guy. He figured with Rayleigh Silvers' age, the man would pass away sooner rather than later, and Zoro could swoop in on the prize before the body cooled.

Sanji didn't even flinch at that comment, having long accepted the union once Zeff presented it. However the two older men knew each other was their business, but the only apprehension he felt in the future action was that he'd be sharing a bed with a man Zeff's age. Which made him uncomfortable because he'd met the man when he was barely eight years old, and grew up knowing him, so it felt like he was promised to marry a family member. But Rayleigh offered and Zeff accepted it, so it wasn't as if he had a choice in the matter, anyway. He was only property, after all.

That was his life after being orphaned at an early age. Zeff needed a busboy and he found one in Sanji. Not quite a slave, but not regarded as family, either. From town to town they traveled with their culinary talents in various restaurants or taverns, and it appeared that Zeff was slowing with age, and had decided to settle here where his old friend resided. Rayleigh was nice enough, patient and kind, but Sanji thought of him as an uncle, and not anything more. He wasn't looking forward to the union, but he didn't have a choice. Whatever Zeff willed was Sanji's command.

With a roll of his eyes, Sanji said, "With this rain, I hope you get 'felled' by a cold, you smug faced bastard."

"Y'know, you could show a little appreciation towards me, because one day, you'll be looking at this 'smug face' every damn day," Zoro said, lowering his fork. "This is good, by the way, but I could use a spoon."

Sanji snarled and left him, signaling for the busboy to join him in the kitchen. Ussop hurried his way, carrying a half barrel of dishes he'd gathered from the tables.

"Do you need help with dishes?" Sanji asked him, spying the sink and seeing that Ussop had already cleaned most of them.

"Nah, I'm good! You doing okay out there, buddy?" Ussop asked. "Zoro's starting in quick, isn't he?"

"I wish he'd just die already. He's so annoying."

"Maybe you'll get your wish," Ussop said cheerfully, piling dishes into the sink. Sanji started putting the others away, where the cook could reach them. "With this rain, the grounds around the castle will be fierce! I heard there was a rock slide to the east of the fence line, where most of them usually enter."

"Not by the main road, right? Because Zeff should've been here, by now," Sanji said with concern.

"All around the stone wall, the wildflowers stopped growing," Ussop said, demonstrating with his arms. "The main road is under the east section of the hill, and there could be mudslides, there. But I thought Zeff took the footpath, and not the main path. That's located a little further down from the main road."

"It was only supposed to take a few hours," Sanji commented, pressing his lips together afterward. When the back door opened, the three of them looked over with expectation of seeing the older man, but it was only Rayleigh in a heavy cloak. Ussop hurried back to the sink and the cook looked back down at the stew he'd been stirring, Sanji anxiously fiddling with the hem of his shirt as he looked up at the older man.

"Is Zeff still gone?" Rayleigh asked, shaking out his hood near the doorway, atop of the straw mat.

"He hasn't returned, sir. Cook here said he could send his son to go look for him," Sanji said, gesturing at the man. "I think we should do that – it's only going to get colder, and he wasn't dressed for nighttime travel."

Rayleigh considered it for a bit, walking forward. As a tall man, he took up most of the kitchen space, and his presence made everyone uncomfortable – Sanji didn't know why, but many people in town hurried the other way when he was around. Rayleigh patted the top of Sanji's head on the way to the door looking out on the main floor, seeing all the people gathered out there. "It's a full house, tonight."

"Ever since the first batch this afternoon – it's constant."

"I see Roronoa's out there," Rayleigh muttered with a slight frown.

"They're holding back, waiting on the rain to die down before heading out," Sanji said. "Sir, should he go? Cook's son?"

"Are you worried about Zeff?" Rayleigh asked him with some amusement, looking back at him.

Sanji bit the side of his mouth with some thought before saying, "I should. He's the owner of this place. Without him, what are we going to do?"

"Zeff is fine, I'm sure," Rayleigh said, reaching out to touch his shoulders. "You're overthinking his absence. But in one hour, I will round up a group and we will set out to find him."

"I can close up early, go with you, sir."

"Zeff would want you here, feeding all these people. You can do that, and I'll go out. It's no problem. We'll take cook's son, if that's okay with him."

"It's okay," the cook said, nodding. "I offered. He's aware of it, he can be ready to ride out at moment's notice."

"See? No need to worry, we've got this figured out," Rayleigh said to Sanji, kissing the top of his head.

Ussop, at the sink, cringed only slightly. He couldn't understand how Sanji could let himself be promised to an old man like Rayleigh, who was older than anyone Ussop knew, other than Garp or Zeff. He couldn't help but wrinkle his nose, unable to imagine being in Sanji's place.

Sanji nodded, only vaguely reassured by the older man's words. "All right. Sir, I just think something should be done now, rather than later, before it gets too dark. These fools out here are still scared of the woods. If there's voices, they're going to wimp out."

"Not my crew. We'll be fine. Is there anymore stew left?" Rayleigh asked, looking over the bowls that the cook was preparing. Sanji nodded, indicating that he sit at the small table nearby, and he hastily gathered up a bowl and utensils, and poured the man some coffee as Rayleigh settled in a chair.

"Ussop, out," Sanji said, Ussop drying his hands quickly and followed him out as Sanji walked out onto the main floor to see if anybody needed anything. At the arrival of two more people, he picked up plates, took orders for seconds and replenishment of mugs, and made Zoro his last priority.

"Took you long enough to come back," Zoro said, signaling an empty mug. "What were you doing back there, avoiding me?"

"You know me well," Sanji commented, snatching his mug away from him, balancing it atop of the empty bowls atop of his head. "You want more food?"

"No, I'm good. Just more ale. Tell me, you know what happens with guys that age?" Zoro asked curiously. "You think the carpet matches the drapes? You think you can handle that sort of thing?"

Sanji glared at him. "That's none of your business."

"Why are you even agreeing to that?" Zoro asked with a disgusted look, leaning back in his chair. "There is a fifty-nine year age difference between you two. He's got both feet in the grave, already. I guess I shouldn't complain – old men like that aren't capable of performing feats like guys our age. I shouldn't be too worried."

"You're disgusting."

"No, he is. Hurry up with that ale. The rain looks like it might let up, soon, and then I'm out of here."

Fuming at being ordered around by someone like him, Sanji hesitated on his request. Since he only wanted ale and not food, he deliberately took his time attending to other people before following Ussop into the kitchen. Both of them carefully stacked their plates on the counter, Ussop washing quickly, Sanji putting away more of the dried dishes, and refilling mugs for those that had requested it.

Once he was back out there, he noticed that most of the hunters were leaving. The rain was letting up, but it had left the streets a muddy mess, and the air was chilly near the open windows. He tended to the fire right afterward, straightening up to wipe sweat from his forehead. He was wearing light clothing to allow him comfort in a fast paced job in a crowded space but this muggy air was definitely causing him to sweat.

Ussop cleaned off the emptied tables while some people lingered at the tables, visiting with each other. Sanji gave Zoro one more refill, the hunter looking at him with consideration before Sanji returned to the back. Rayleigh had made up his mind, and the cook was standing in the open doorway at the back, hollering across the street to his son. Lightening zigzagged through the sky at that moment, making Sanji nervous as a rumble of thunder rolled over head.

"This weather is almost similar to that night years ago, when Tsuru first arrived in town," Rayleigh commented over his coffee.

"I don't believe in that story," Sanji said, picking up his plate and utensils, putting them in the sink.

"Tales start from somewhere, from something," Rayleigh said patiently. "And with the lack of that family anywhere, one does believe she caused something in that castle. She just never said what."

"Is she still alive? Maybe she can come back and undo it, or whatever," Sanji said, washing dishes.

"They were punished for a reason. Doflamingo was overzealous, and his power too great. He was not a very nice man. What made it difficult for me was the amount of children he'd taken in when no one else would take him. They were well taken care of, I remember," Rayleigh said, lost in thought. "Nice clothes, groomed appearances – brattier than you on a good day. Spoiled rotten. Got away with everything. He let them, because they were either left behind, or lost their families, somehow."

"So, does this make him a good man, or a bad one? Surely not, considering that he liked kids."

"He was grooming them to be just like him, to join the ranks of the other family members," Rayleigh said. He looked at Sanji as he dried his hands, then pushed away from the table. "Come here. Sit down, for awhile."

"Ussop's out there by himself, I should go help him."

"He'll be fine. _Now_."

With a light exhale, Sanji walked over and moved to sit on the edge of the table, but Rayleigh gestured at his leg, instead. Uncomfortable but unable to disobey, Sanji sat there. His skin crawled, and his shoulders hunched, but Rayleigh slung an unusually strong arm around his waist and held him close to his chest, so he could play with his hair. Sanji felt discomfort about a nearly eighty year old man being so rigid and strong, making him feel like a small boy, again.

"Don't worry about Zeff so much. He's fine. More than likely he was side tracked, and lost track of time," Rayleigh said low. "After you close up here, go home and rest. I'm sure you've been working hard all day. Tomorrow, he'll expect the same of you."

"Right."

"And one more thing – don't give Zoro any more encouragement than you have. Each time you do, he feels he has a way in," Rayleigh advised, running a strong hand over Sanji's shoulders, before giving him a firm neck rub that loosened the tense muscles there. Sanji felt himself relax, but it was almost involuntary, like Rayleigh had loosened something in him without his permission. Sanji didn't know what it was about the man, but he couldn't disobey him or his hands, and he wasn't sure what made him more uncomfortable – that he didn't have a choice, or that there was more to be expected from this sort of attention.

"I understand."

"That's a lad. We'll set out, now," Rayleigh said, pushing him off to the side.

"Be careful out there," Sanji said.

"This is my valley, I know it well," Rayleigh assured him. "Go right to the house, after. We'll be back, soon."

"Yes, sir. Please come back, safely."

After Rayleigh left, Sanji finished with the dishes, dried and put them away. The cook had given the rest of the stew to the beggers that knew when to come by, so there were no leftovers. Most of the tavern had cleared out due to the hour, and Ussop was already cleaning tables, sweeping and mopping the floor.

Sanji noted with relief that Zoro was gone, but he'd left a considerable tip on the table. Sanji didn't want to take it, so he gave it to Ussop instead.

"I'm sure with the loosening of the vines, the hunters will get into the grounds more easier," Ussop said, ushering out the last of the stragglers, and locking the doors. "I wonder what they're going to find, in there."

"Have you ever visited the castle?" Sanji asked curiously, helping him clean.

Ussop had lived in the valley his entire life. He was a stringy guy with unruly hair, a long nose, and a penchant for outrageous stories. But he was also considerate, friendly, and seemed only eager to please. Plus, he was a great help, and he let Sanji know of all the gossip in town, so Sanji was able to interact more freely with those who came into the tavern. Zeff kept him on a tight leash – for 'his safety'.

To Sanji, it was only because he was his property, and not because Zeff was concerned about him in any way, and he'd accepted that a long time ago.

"Only once!" Ussop confessed. "With some friends! It was on a dare. If we could get through the enchanted forest and cut down a thorn, bring it back to town to show it off, then we would've got twenty gold pieces as a reward! But Luffy and I turned around halfway because that thing was screaming. It wasn't even a gentle sound, it didn't sound like an animal, Sanji. It was…almost like a voice. Not long after that, there were shouts, like men arguing with each other, and the Beast roared again! Scared us shitless, we ran home."

"So, it's true that Tsuru changed Doflamingo into a beast, then?" Sanji asked.

"I don't know for sure," Ussop said slowly. "Those that heard the Beast reported that it wasn't a voice they were familiar with. But those voices around it, they're definitely people. People you can't see, mind you. There's ghosts in that castle, and I'm honestly not 110% sure I'd _ever_ have a reason to go in there."

Sanji wiped down some tables, propped up some chairs. As he took the broom from him, he mumbled, "I wish I could go up there. I'd love to see that sort of thing for myself."

Ussop chewed on the inside of his cheek before saying, "Let's go right now! Those guys just set out, what's the harm in going up the road to check it out?"

"We better not, Rayleigh told me to go straight home," Sanji muttered, sweeping fiercely.

"Why do you listen to that guy? It's not like you're _married_ to him, now," Ussop said.

"I can't. I just feel…that I can't. it feels impossible," Sanji said, looking for the dustpan. "Besides, Zeff will have my head, that controlling bastard."

Ussop shrugged, knowing that his friend's relationship with the two men was an odd one. For one, Zeff was a little crazy – his way of thinking was something Ussop couldn't quite get used, to. Rumor had it that he'd suffered some sort of tragedy awhile back, and never healed right as a result of it. Therefore, his paranoia and control over Sanji bespoke a sincere fear of loss, but Sanji seemed to treat it as ownership issues over him.

When Sanji had told Ussop that he was to marry Rayleigh sometime in the future, Ussop didn't understand why Zeff would allow it. The man was nearly eighty years old, while Sanji was just over seventeen. The people in town weren't that surprised – it wasn't that uncommon for men to take on multiple partners in marriage, without rule to age and gender. As long as their partners were taken care of equally and responsibly, everyone turned a blind eye to things like that. But it struck Ussop that Sanji allowed himself to be tied down to these two old men without a bat of the eye, especially when he was so strong willed and cranky.

Sanji was too much of an 'old soul' to be someone his own age, so he found it difficult to relate to those around him. Ussop was surprised that Sanji opened up to him the way he did, but Ussop felt better knowing that Sanji relied on him in various ways. It made Ussop feel capable and trustworthy, and he was eager to please in however way he could.

"This looks good, Ussop," Sanji said, looking over the floor with approval. "You did a great job, today."

"Hey thanks! I'll walk you home," Ussop said cheerfully. "And don't worry about Zeff, okay? He's a strong guy, I'm sure he's fine."

"Yeah, you're right," Sanji said, tired of hearing that from various people. He smiled at Ussop. "I'd trust your word over everyone else's."

Because Sanji's smile was so rare, Ussop felt himself brighten, cheered he could make a difference. "Damn right you should!"


	3. The Notes

The next morning, Sanji woke blearily, the cold air making him shiver briefly before retreating back underneath the quilts and animal fur. Then he opened his eyes with a start, remembering the events of yesterday. He sat up and looked to the other side of the bed, and saw that Zeff still wasn't around. The room was devoid of the other man's presence – no outside cloak hanging from the coat rack, no boots near the door, the fire in the hearth burning vaguely, threatening to go out.

Uncomfortable with the thought that the others were still out there looking for him, Sanji looked at the windows. The early morning was breaking over the mountains in the east, the valley fogged over with cold air. He could hear the light sounds of activity out in the streets, the spillage of waste falling down to the gutters, and he pushed the blankets aside with a frown. He grabbed his robe and tended to the fire, adding more wood to it before moving to the kitchen, making coffee. By the time he was ready to head to the tavern to assist cook in the morning rush, neither man was back.

He quickly bathed and dressed in faded trousers and a side button work shirt, rolling up the sleeves. Then he sat outside and enjoyed a hand rolled cigarette, watching the town wake up slowly. The chill in the air was intense, and he went back inside to grab his cloak, the heavy brown material settled around him as he sat on the back step and watched people move around sluggishly. The tobacco tasted good, a present from Rayleigh, and it burned his throat and lips with flavor. He thought that when they actually married and settled in Rayleigh's house together, he would have to give up smoking, as the man didn't like the smell of it. But he gave Sanji these gifts so that he'd enjoy them until then; he carefully set it out before tucking it back into a metal case, along with some matches.

Making his way to the tavern, Sanji opened up the back door to see that cook was already there, and Ussop was pulling on his apron.

"No word?" cook asked curiously. "My boy returned home hours ago."

"No, nothing," Sanji said, bewildered. "Rayleigh hasn't returned, either."

"I'm wondering if we should do anything," Ussop commented as Sanji removed his cloak and set it aside, pulling on his apron before moving to the counter to assist with cook. "Should we be really worried? What did your son say?"

"They found a mudslide east of here, through the footpath, but no sign of Zeff. Rayleigh thought that perhaps he was held up in that town, so he rode ahead, sent the others back," cook said.

"I'm sure there isn't much to worry about, Sanji," Ussop said, looking at him.

"I'm not worried. He's out there, somewhere," Sanji mumbled, cutting through potatoes swiftly. "Any hunters return, yet?"

"There's several sitting out there," Ussop reported. "I'll start taking orders."

"Find out their luck!" cook called as he disappeared onto the main floor.

Those that had braved the cold air of last night were sitting at the tables in quiet huddles as Ussop started a fire. As the warmth built in the room, he took their drink requests, offered blankets for those that shivered, but by the time Sanji started coming out with plates of food, there were more people coming in, looking as dejected as the previous.

"No such luck," one hunter muttered. "Those walls were impossible to scale. Slippery after last night's rain."

"Saw a man impaled on one of them thorns," another said gravely. "He was still twitching as we left."

"Those voices were everywhere, and no where at once," a bearded man said, shivering. "Calling out, yelling, cursing at us. ' _Bring us your women_!' I heard one man yell. It was almost satanic."

"Our 'women'?" Sanji repeated. "Why?"

"Do you think they're in danger?" Ussop asked with worry.

"I heard one yell, ' _Bring us your virgins, or suffer our wrath_!'"

Everyone began talking in low tones, growing alarmed.

"It's frightening how fast these voices travel," one man said, shaking over his coffee. "One minute I was sighting one of the castle windows, the next there was a dresser being launched through the air, nearly hitting me. What was worse was that it pushed itself back up on its legs and scooted backwards, like it were _possessed._ "

Above those murmurs, someone said, "I heard a woman yell out ferociously, ' _They need to be handsome_!' So, there's a witch residing there."

"I heard another woman's voice, as well! Only she said, ' _Fuck these bastards! They're all ugly! I want to work for a handsome man_!'"

"I heard the same thing! only, a man answered her! Said, ' _I want grandchildren_!' So, it appears our children are in danger, too."

All of them were upset, and Sanji and Ussop looked at each other with concern. Ussop shivered as they made their way back to the kitchen.

"Why would they request those specific things?" Sanji asked curiously. "Doflamingo was a younger man back then, wasn't he?"

"I don't know, I think he was popular with some of the bimbos around here, being made of money and power," Ussop said with a shrug. "Maybe after all these years, he's, uh, horny."

"Ghosts can't marry the living."

"No, but…I'm sure they perv out just the same."

Sanji considered it with a bewildered look, Ussop running water to boil in order to fill the sink. The cook caught himself looking over the cooking food with a startled expression, wondering if this statement were true.

"Virgins, grandchildren, and handsome men," Sanji repeated thoughtfully. "It sounds more like they want somebody of marriageable age. Maybe someone escaped Tsuru's wrath, and is the only living soul up there. You said there were children living there – maybe one of them grew up and is of age."

"That's _weird_ ," Ussop commented skeptically. "If there was a living soul up there, why not come out?"

"Maybe they have," cook said, stirring thick gravy before creating more breakfast bowls for Sanji to pick up. "We get a lot of visitors through here, I'm sure they can fit right in."

"Well, enough of these things. I say we get to work. When Zeff comes back, he'll be disappointed that we're slacking off," Sanji said, carrying the plates into the main floor, serving everyone that were exchanging horror stories about the things they heard throughout the enchanted forest, the castle grounds.

That night, Sanji returned to a cold, dark house. The tavern had been so busy with disappointed but frightened hunters, and all the tales they had ranged from hearing angry voices demanding genders of marriageable age to being attacked by inanimate objects. None of them were able to get close to the castle walls themselves. There was no sighting of the Beast, either, and even then, no one reported hearing it. He sat out on the back porch and enjoyed the last of his cigarette from that morning, peering out over the darkening town. There was a rumble of thunder in the distance, the sight of lightening flashing over mountain tops, and he pressed his lips together with a frown. He wondered where the old men were, and if they were truly okay.

As he killed the ember to his cigarette, a sound caught his ear. It was the faint sound of a monster releasing its rage, and it was stronger, this time. He heard people on the street pause in midstep, gasping. The sound echoed throughout the valley, carried over the quiet stillness of the town. To Sanji, it wasn't frightening – it just sounded like a roar of sound, expressing frustration. The forest between Flower Hill and the town seemed to rustle noisily, as if pushed by sudden wind, and voices carried over the silence.

Those on the streets hastened their step home, frightened by the approaching voices of disembodied souls. Creeped out, hearing the sounds of conversation growing nearer to the town, Sanji hurried into the house and shut the door behind him. He tended to the fire, brushed his teeth, and undressed for bed, throwing on his nightgown before sliding underneath the piles of quilts and furs. Pulling them over his head, he hoped he didn't hear anything else as the silence stretched on.

In the morning, he awoke at the feel of cold air on his face, the touch of a hand on his skin. He opened his eyes to see Rayleigh sitting there near him, and he sat up hastily, rubbing his eyes, looking for Zeff.

"No luck?" he asked, worry thick on his tone as Rayleigh shook his head. His long, silver hair was pulled up in a messy bun at the back of his head, glasses slightly fogged over – his clothes were wet, and he smelled like rain, so Sanji looked to the windows and saw that the dark clouds over the skies had pulled over them once more, pouring down onto the streets with a hard ferocity. He looked back at Rayleigh, unable to voice his next thought.

"This rain…there's just no way to judge his path," Rayleigh said with disappointment. "The mudslide we'd found pushed at least five miles down from the footpath we thought he'd taken, and there's no way to know if he's under there, or if he were lucky enough to have avoided it in the first place. Those he met with in town have said he'd been there in the timeline you were sure of, and left before mid-afternoon. Unfortunately, there's just no trace of him."

Sanji frowned, unsure of what to think at this point. Rayleigh reached over and brushed his hair from his face, patting it gently over his ear and neck.

"Worrying will do nothing," he said firmly. "Life will carry on as normal. I'm pretty sure he'll show up soon, with some grand tale. You need to continue your day to day activities, to stay busy."

"…Right," Sanji said, gripping his blankets with both hands and looking to the other side of the bed. He'd shared a bed with Zeff since he was small, and through the years, it seemed Zeff had drifted further and further away from him. Now, it seemed the man had taken his leave, and Sanji wasn't sure what to feel. If he felt lost, sad, or disappointed that this man had abandoned him.

"Let cook take over, today," Rayleigh said to him. "It's been a long two days. You can stay with me."

Sanji's skin erupted with a crawl, and he felt pressure in his chest at the thought of it. But he nodded, knowing that cook and Ussop could deal with the activities there without him, considering that most of the hunters had taken their leave the night before.

"I'll go tell them. Meanwhile, tend to your fire, it's going out. And…be undressed for me," Rayleigh then added, getting up from the bed. "It's better with skin to skin contact, when warming up from this cold."

"Yes, sir."

After he left, Sanji laid there, feeling ill at the thought of following that order. But since they were to be married anyway, he felt he didn't have much of a choice. It wouldn't be the first time Rayleigh had done this on this principle. He just felt confused at when his childhood had ended for the man, to think he was ready for another man's advances. At seventeen, he was of marriageable age, and there had been women younger than him in the beds of men decades older, so he figured it shouldn't be that shocking.

He got up, tended to the fire and brushed his teeth again, wishing he could have a cigarette. Looking out the windows, he saw that people were already on the streets, moving through their day, fighting the rain, and he pulled the shutters closed so that Rayleigh wouldn't be disturbed in his slumber. He turned to remove his nightgown when something caught his eye. In his cloak near the front door, he spotted what looked to be a piece of paper peeking out from the inside pocket. Curious, he ventured over, straightening his nightgown and retrieved it. It was piece of parchment paper, and his forehead furrowed with puzzlement as he read, ' _Zeff is fine. Bring eggs for the birthday cake_.'

It wasn't Ussop's handwriting, nor cook's. He twisted it over and over, bewildered as to whom it was from, and why it said nothing more than that. Whose 'birthday' was it? Where was Zeff making this alleged cake? Where _was_ Zeff? It wasn't his handwriting. He figured maybe this was a long ago note, and he'd forgotten about it. Tossing it in the fire, he took off his nightgown and returned to the bed, shivering briefly before making himself comfortable underneath the weight of the blankets.

When Rayleigh came back, he was pleased that Sanji had followed his order. In minutes, he was in the same bed that Sanji shared with Zeff, and Sanji just went along with what he wanted because they were going to be married, anyway.

: :

Later that night, Sanji headed over to the tavern to make sure that cook and Ussop were able to close properly. He walked in through the back, seeing that they were cleaning up, and Sanji was disappointed that he hadn't been included for today's rush. He pulled off his cloak and set it aside, saying to cook, "I'll do the rest."

"It wasn't that busy, today, but I intended on starting meat pies for tomorrow," cook said, removing his apron to take advantage of the early leave. "No word on Zeff, yet, huh?"

"Wherever he is, he's…out there somewhere," Sanji said with a shrug, looking away to start putting dried dishes away, Ussop looking at him with concern.

"See you guys tomorrow!"

"Where were you all day?" Ussop asked, pushing stray hairs from his forehead back underneath his hair wrap.

Sanji shrugged again, not wanting to talk about it. Even after a bath, he could still feel Rayleigh's hands on him. But after the old man's physical exploration of his body, Sanji felt a little discouraged that he hadn't been able to please him. No matter what Rayleigh did to him, Sanji couldn't get hard. He figured he was broken, and felt more apprehension towards their upcoming nuptials, knowing that if he couldn't please the man in bed, the man would be disappointed in him.

"What were the stories today? Anyone get closer to the castle than before?" he asked Ussop, eager to focus on something else other than the day in bed he'd spent with Rayleigh.

"Nah. Zoro came back," Ussop said, snickering. "He got lost, ended up on Cavern Mountain."

"What a loser!"

"So now, it's suggested that he use a guide to take him through the forest, directly to the walls!" Ussop laughed. "All that big talk the other day, and he got lost! I don't understand it, myself. Flower Hill is right in front of us."

"That is funny," Sanji commented, wiping the counters, and moving to the stove to clean that with a souring pad.

Ussop looked back at him with concern. Sanji was often pretty serious and cranky, but today he was downright subdued. He figured that with Zeff missing, he was feeling worried – despite what he said about Zeff, Ussop felt that Sanji was attached to the older man. But after Rayleigh's earlier visit this morning, saying that there was no trace of Zeff anywhere, Ussop had wondered if Zeff had abandoned Sanji; essentially leaving him for Rayleigh to take care of.

Zeff had always been gruff and short with Sanji – to everybody, really – and didn't show any display of fatherly concern for the older teen. But then again, Zeff and Rayleigh were close friends – mysteriously connected from years earlier. While they didn't talk much about their past, the fact that Zeff allowed Rayleigh marriage rites to Sanji told Ussop that perhaps Zeff had trusted his friend with his younger ward. Which still made Ussop uncomfortable, thinking that these two only thought of Sanji as a 'thing'.

"Sanji. Did Rayleigh say anything about your nuptials?" Ussop asked softly.

He saw the man's shoulders stiffen, head lowered briefly before straightening again. "Just that we'd be married by the end of the week."

Ussop winced. While Sanji didn't complain about it, he knew for certain that the older teen didn't like it. It was just another duty for him to cover.

Sanji turned to look at him. At that moment, his expression was uncharacteristically vulnerable, more like his age. "You'll be there, right?"

"Of course!" Ussop said hastily. "Of course, I'll be there. I just…I'll be there for you."

Sanji nodded and looked away without saying anything else. Just continued cleaning, and Ussop felt sad for him. He wondered if Sanji had wanted more for himself, but it seemed like he was already accepting of the situation, prepared to take it on like some other duty.

The door was kicked in from the tavern's main floor, and Zoro barged in, looking pissed, removing the bear fur hooded cape from around his head.

"Hey! I locked those doors!" Ussop exclaimed, Sanji growling as he tossed aside the scouring pad.

"Look, I'm hungry, and I'm not ready to retire, yet," Zoro snapped. Dressed as a typical hunter in water proof clothes, with shin high booths, animal fur cape, he had his swords hanging from his side and a quiver of arrows on his back, bow slung over one arm. Ussop didn't get why he was carrying swords, but he remembered that some of Zoro's background included hunting people, too. Which made him pretty scary in Ussop's book.

"I'm a paying customer, I want to be served. Why does this stupid town close up so early?"

"Fucking asshole! This place isn't yours to command!" Sanji snarled back at him, throwing an empty mug in his direction. "Get the fuck out of here!"

" _Ow_! Hey!" Zoro protested, Sanji following after him, kicking in his direction with renewed anger. "I just wanted something to eat!"

"We're closed, asshole! Don't come up in this place and start throwing your weight around because you're some fucking big shot hunter! Fuck you! You've done nothing to impress me, or anybody! You just got fucking lost!"

"Hey, in all the rain the paths were washed out!" Zoro complained, blocking his foot every time it shot out at him. Ussop followed with worry, hoping that neither of them destroyed anything as Sanji drove Zoro back towards the front doors. Ussop saw where Zoro had cut through the thick plank that had kept them locked, and frowned, knowing he'd have to cut another plank to replace it, or buy from a woodcutter on short notice, to fix it.

"Why are you so angry all the time?" Zoro asked, catching Sanji's leg as it crashed up against his side. Sanji balanced himself on his supporting leg, and held onto his animal fur cape as Zoro hugged that leg to his side. "Is it because of your _old_ man? He doesn't like you playing with kids your own age?"

"Bastard! Quit bringing it up!"

"No, hell with that - !" Zoro trailed off, and felt Sanji's calf with both hands, a contemplative expression on his face. "For a skinny guy, these sure are hard – almost like my own. Are you a ballerina?"

"Idiot! Let go!"

Zoro pulled him in close, switching his grip from Sanji's calf to his thigh, Sanji pushing against his shoulders with a startled look. Grinning, Zoro asked, "How much of you is as hard as your legs? I'm sure I can find those areas if you let me."

"Ugh, you dirty pig, you're so rotten, let go of me!"

"Pretty sure I'm way more active than an old man," Zoro added, shifting his hold from Sanji's thigh to his back, pulling him up against him while Ussop looked on nervously. Face reddened with the position, Sanji pushed back against his grip, but the man was absolutely stronger than he, and he couldn't get the space necessary to put any force between them.

"Even if I don't scale those walls, I can be satisfied penetrating yours," Zoro added with a randy grin, ignoring Ussop's tentative words nearby.

"You fucking bastard, get your hands off my goddamn walls!" Sanji snapped at him, hands on his face, pushing back before a loud crash of sound from the kitchen caught their attention. Zoro released him, and Sanji caught himself quickly, all of them turning to look through the doorway. Ignoring the earlier tension, Ussop hid behind Sanji as a metal bowl hit the floor, along with some other noises that rang out loudly. There were frustrated voices that hissed at each other, and Sanji hastily moved in that direction, Zoro following curiously. Once inside the kitchen area, Sanji looked around.

The icebox was open, and there were eggs lying on the floor, shattered. Flour covered the bags it was in, and there were canisters of vanilla lying on the table, just below the shelves they were stored in. Bewildered, Sanji looked around himself, seeing that the back door was shut. There was no way anybody could hide in there, and he felt goosebumps rising on his arms as it seemed that the kitchen was crowded with others they could not see.

"What the hell?" Zoro questioned, Ussop shaking as he registered the mess. Sanji walked all the way in, looking into the icebox to see that several eggs were still in the basket he'd brought them in from yesterday. He remembered that note he'd found earlier, looking at the windows, at the closed back door. From all the ingredients lying around, they were definitely for a cake.

…a birthday cake?

Did this mysterious mess have anything to do with Zeff's intentions? And with no one around, did this mean he was a ghost, as well?

He shivered, giving an uncomfortable noise as Ussop's teeth chattered.

Absolutely bewildered, Zoro didn't understand the significance of the mess – he figured a beggar had taken advantage of the chaos in the front and had tried pilfering some food stuffs before making a mess of things.

"Anyway, now that you have to clean stuff up, make me something to eat. I'm starving," he said, walking back out to the front, Sanji glaring after him.

With a sigh, Sanji starting cleaning up, Ussop slowly venturing away from him to investigate the rest of the kitchen. There was nothing to indicate that people had broken in, and the ingredients lying around looked too deliberate. He picked up the broken egg shells, mopped up the yolks, picked up the mixing bowl that had fallen on the floor, not recognizing it – he also swept up the flour as Sanji made something quick for Zoro to eat. Despite his earlier words, Sanji would not let anybody leave the place hungry.

As he fried up bacon and eggs, Sanji looked over at his cloak, spying movement in that direction. He thought he'd see a mouse, maybe a rat with how big the action was, but he only saw his cape moving. He moved away from the stove and strode over, whipping his cloak open to see nothing there. Unsure of what he'd seen, heart racing at the thought of a ghost, he closed it – only to see paper fluttering to the floor.

He picked it up with a startled expression, seeing that it was another piece of parchment paper. All letters were in caps, this time. 'BRING CAKE INGREDIENTS TO CASTLE ! ZEFF SAID BY YOURSELF NOW!'

Sanji's face screwed up with bewilderment. But he noticed that ink was fresh, and it came off his fingers, smearing the words over the parchment paper. He looked around, spying a fallen writing quill nearby. Had that been the thing he'd seen move, earlier? He picked it up, examining the sharp end, seeing that it was colored with fresh ink. He looked over at Ussop, but he was busy cleaning at the other end of the room, and the door was definitely shut where he was standing.

He quickly dropped both paper and pen once he realized the food was burning at the stove, and cursed, attending to it quickly. Once he had a plate made, he shut the stove off and set the plate aside, brushing his ink stained fingers on his apron. He looked over to retrieve the note to show Ussop when he realized both quill and paper was missing from where he'd dropped them.

Baffled, Sanji stared in that direction. He had not been facing anywhere else, so there was no way anybody could have stolen off with those things without him noticing. And Zoro was complaining from the front, so it wasn't him. But the notes had mentioned Zeff – and the castle. _Why would Zeff be inside the castle_? He had never expressed any interest in the structure atop of Flower Hill, and always thought the ghosts and curses rumor was utter nonsense.

But maybe that was why Rayleigh couldn't find him. Had Zeff been stolen off by ghosts? And _who_ was he making a birthday cake, for?

"By 'myself'?" he repeated with a frown. "Like Rayleigh would ever let that happen. 'ch."

He turned to look for some clean utensils, rummaging through the drawers, and looked back to the tray. Only this time, there was fresh ink written just above the finished plate, the quill lying there mysteriously. 'We got him covered. Hurry up!'

Utterly perplexed, Sanji said nothing as he stared at those words, at the quill that just laid there. There was no one around. His skin broke out into goosebumps, thinking that there was actually truth to the ghost rumors. As he grabbed the plate he'd made for Zoro, and poured some ale into a mug, Ussop looked at him with concern, but Sanji said nothing as he made his way to the hunter that looked at him with a smug grin.

Neither of them saw the quill upright itself, and quickly scribble out the words it had written on its own, muttering darkly to itself.


	4. The Birthday Cake

By the time Sanji made it through the enchanted forest, he was shivering so violently that breathing was difficult. He could hear all sorts of voices murmuring through the trees, the cold wind slashing through them, causing leaves to rustle. It was frightening how the voices wandered through the darkness, speaking so casually to each other. There was gentle laughter, earnest conversations, and, in the distance, movement. The lamp he carried barely lit the footpath he was sure Zeff had taken a few days prior, and thunder rumbled overhead. A cigarette at his lips, he looked around himself apprehensively, feeling as if there were a thousand eyes on him.

An owl called from somewhere in the trees, then fluttered away, causing him to tremble. He hadn't realized just how scary the forest could be, always shaking off traveler's tales as nonsense – experiencing it for himself was a whole other story.

"Hey," he heard someone say, directed right at him. His hair stood up on end, and he gave a startled gasp, nearly losing his cigarette as he looked in that direction. The lamp's light showed him nothing, but he heard a faint rustle overhead. Thinking it was another night bird, Sanji looked up in the trees, then around him, clutching the basket tight in his grasp. "Hey, you Zeff's kid?"

It took Sanji a few moments to answer, his throat dry. He couldn't see anybody – he was sure a ghost was talking to him. He managed a nod, shaking violently as he listened to the silence right after that. Something moved in the underbrush, and that voice said, "C'mon, follow me. This deer trail leads right up to the gates."

 _Follow what_? Sanji thought with bewildered action, hearing the rustling noises move away. But his lamp did catch sight of a narrow trail in the brush, and he took it carefully, walking up a very steep incline. The constant rain lately had rendered the ground surface slippery, moist, and every step was a battle. He didn't have the appropriate shoes for off road travel, and his feet were already cold, soaked.

By the time he reached the top, he was panting heavily, out of breath as he stumbled into a fragrant field of flowers. He'd only seen this part from town, and to be in the midst of it left him in awe. Dying sunflowers waved around him, and leaves rustled noisily in rose bushes. Mums bloomed brilliantly, with various other wildflowers closed into tight, trembling buds. The rustling noises continued, a man muttering to himself as he 'led' the way, and Sanji followed, hearing that most of the voices were gone. When he came up to the castle walls, he gaped up at the sight of the large vines, in awe of their thickness and weight. From them hung tightly closed buds that seemed to shimmer as lighting flashed in the distance.

They were of a different fragrance – as he leaned over to sniff one, he caught a strange, musky scent that made his blood tingle. He shivered in reaction, mystified by how powerful the smell was. As he drew back, the flower bloomed before him, and he gasped, stepping back as the leaves unfurled and opened to reveal itself. The flower was pure black on the insides, with tiny sparkles that reflected light from his lamp. It didn't present a threat in any way, but the smell was so fragrant that he leaned in, sniffing again. It made him shiver again, alarmed at how his blood seemed to warm suddenly, pooling uncomfortably in certain areas of his body.

Horrified that he had a hard-on just from smelling a flower, Sanji stood there, staring at it. The flower closed itself after a few seconds, furling tightly into a bud. Sanji moved on, unable to fathom why he'd react that way. The massive gates opened just behind a couple of ropes, forcing him to crawl through them. Once he made it inside, he felt fear crawl up his back, apprehensive over what he'd find. The mountain fog seemed trapped within the courtyard, giving him limited view. There were trees growing everywhere, with vines crawling along the grounds like massive snakes, constantly moving and shifting over each other in the dark. They cleared a path for him, revealing a faded stone walkway leading up to the castle. A constant clanging ahead of him made him wonder what exactly was leading him – like someone was walking with some sort of metal cane. He looked up at the castle with awe, admiring the uneven towers, the faded glass art in several of the windows, and watchtowers that looked like monstrous Cyclops with small shoulders. The stairway up to the castle was covered in dead leaves, dead flowerbeds, and fallen branches from nearby trees. Carefully, he made his way over those, hearing voices whispering around him.

"It's only a guy in a hood. And basket. Like fucking red riding hood, only it's not red."

"Real observant, dumbass."

"He's not armed."

"Hey, Vergo, what's the deal with this guy?"

"This is official business, please step aside."

" _Hey_!" someone shouted in the distance, and it startled him so badly that he dropped his lamp. Glass shattered noisily, the fire sputtering out over the stone, and he nearly swallowed his tongue as his cigarette fell from his mouth. It sounded like a woman yelling at him from one of the towers. "Pull down your hood!"

Sanji couldn't see anybody in that direction, but he wasn't about to follow with the request. Why should he? Now caught within the immense darkness, he looked around himself, shivering violently as a cold wind swept around him, scattering dead leaves around his feet. The heavy wooden doors suddenly opened, and he watched, terrified, as they moved inward without visible help, revealing a dark hallway that sputtered with mysteriously lighting candles to show him the way in.

For several moments he stood at the top of the stairway, hearing his heart slam against his chest, fear rendering his legs weak, but he took a deep breath and ventured in from the cold. It was surprisingly warm inside, and he took in the sight of banners hanging from the stone walls, the flicker of light showing him portraits of children, men and women – most of which were shredded, as if something sharp had 'x'ed them out. The door slammed shut behind him, and he nearly jerked into a run, cradling the basket in his hands as he looked for the persons that had shut them.

Seeing absolutely nobody, Sanji moved in a slow circle, biting his lip so he wouldn't make any embarrassing noises. He reached up and lowered his hood as he walked forward, following the candles towards what looked to be a stairway up at the end of the hall.

"FUCK! You're a _cute_ kid!" a woman exclaimed from a nearby stairway, and Sanji looked in that direction with a light gasp, unable to see anything there. There was the clink of metal, as if it were falling down the stairs, and he caught sight of a paintbrush landing on the zebra skin carpet underfoot. He stared at it, then at the stairway, then back at the paintbrush. It seemed to wiggle before propping itself up, and that was it for Sanji. He raced away from it because inanimate objects shouldn't be moving without anybody holding them.

The woman shouted after him, "COME BACK HERE! I didn't get to see the rest of you!"

Panting heavily, Sanji ran up the stairway, then looked back – but all the candles in the hall were dying out, and the darkness that fell over the Great Hall was unsettling. So he continued following the ones that were lit, seeing that one room in particular was bright with a live fire. Breathing tightly, he headed in that direction, hearing his own footsteps ringing out in the empty halls. He heard voices murmuring all around him, but he couldn't pinpoint their exact location.

"Who is that?"

"I don't know, some kid."

"What's he doing here?"

"Looks like a basket, or some kind."

"You're so fucking observant, it kills me."

The room he reached had a massive fire going, and it was inviting – there were couches, stand alone chairs, and shelves upon shelves of books. In front of those shelves was a narrow walkway that allowed a person to climb a rolling ladder to access books nearest the ceiling. From floor to ceiling, he looked up at them in awe – there was a staircase towards the back that led up a spiraling walkway, and the windows to his left were open, revealing the town in the valley below. He looked around the room, catching sight of movement from the corner of his eye, but seeing nobody.

"Hey, young man," he heard from near his ear, and he jerked around, only to see a shelf full of odds and ends there, with only a massive painting above it. He looked up at the painting, but it had been shredded, too, revealing a man with blond hair and a somewhat creepy grin. He gave it a skeptical look, unable to fully picture the man with the amount of damage done to it. Next to it was the painting of another man, but his blond hair covered his eyes – Sanji couldn't see too much of him, because this one was colored over with deep scratches, tic tac toe puzzleboards, and various expletives.

"Ugly, huh?" someone said nearby. "That man haunts my dreams."

"I'm fucking _beautiful_ , goddamn it."

"Oh, look, it scares him, too."

"ZEFF!" Sanji cried out, unable to pinpoint where these voices were coming from.

"Not so loud," someone complained near his right, and he jerked around to see seeing a coat rack shift uneasily, metal creaking slightly as its arms shifted about. Sanji pulled away from it as its arms moved towards the top, as if covering its ears. "Whatever ear drums I had are gone. G! GONE!"

"If Zeff's here, where is he?" someone asked curiously.

Sanji ran away from it, spotting a corridor that promised more light, seeing that it dropped down a stairway. But as he did so, he heard the sound of a sharp snarl, an animalistic sound that made his hairs stand straight up, again. He whirled around, hitting the wall, looking up at the stairway he'd just descended. From the firelight, he saw a large shadow pass, as if something had walked right in front of the fire.

"What's all the fucking noise about?" he heard a growl, indicating it was coming from something terribly large.

"There's some guy walking around the castle, looking innocent and scared. We're trying to find out if he's single and ready to mingle."

Blood running cold, he pushed away from the wall and ran the short distance to a large kitchen.

"FUCKING HELL!" he heard something massive yell with frustration. "WHY DO YOU PEOPLE DO THIS TO ME?"

Sanji looked around with awe, setting the basket down on a nearby kitchen island. The place was really massive – the stove was in great condition, the counters were dark marble, the cabinets and pantry dark cherrywood – it looked fitting for the castle. There were skylights in the ceiling, with candles on the walls and shelves, giving the kitchen a soft, enigmatic glow. It was nothing like the tavern, and more like something he'd only imagined. There was so much space and organization to it that he felt lost just standing in the center of it.

"Zeff usually makes the cake, but we can't seem to find him," a voice said from behind him, Sanji whirling around to look for the source of it. But all he saw were the appliances against the walls, candles flicking soundlessly. "So they sent for you."

"Cake for… _what_ cake?" Sanji asked, absolutely clueless.

"For Law's birthday. Zeff made his cake for the past four years, so…I guess it's up to you, now."

Sanji looked at the basket with puzzled action. He searched his memory, trying to remember Zeff making any sort of cake at this time of year. Zeff did go to another town a lot, but never did he mention anyone's birthday with that name. He looked over again, looking for the person speaking to him.

"Where is Zeff?" he asked cautiously.

"You tell us! We've been looking for him!" someone else said from his right, and there was nothing there but dishes, utensils, all sorted neatly and arranged in open shelves for easy access. "He had mentioned you as his helper, so we thought we'd use you, instead."

Sanji was absolutely baffled by their words. Even more so that Zeff would take on such a clandestine purpose every year without saying anything to him. For a few moments he stood there, staring at the basket he'd brought. He looked around himself again, seeing nobody, but feeling as if he were surrounded by people. He fiddled with his cloak, then looked towards the stairway, abandoning the island to walk back up.

Right up top, a flash of metal caught his eye, and he looked down at a single wine opener that stood there, much like how the paintbrush had earlier.

"You're in charge, now, huh?" it said, Sanji's eyes widening as the thing looked up at him. With its shape, it looked like it was constantly with its hands flaring out to the sides, with spiky shoulders. But the arms lifted and moved without help, the metal skewer within the center of it popping out with the action – almost obscenely. "We've been looking for Zeff for the past couple of days – he usually comes right over on time. I'm seriously reconsidering our payment plans for his services."

For a few moments, Sanji was sure he was mistaking things. "I…I'm sorry?"

"Zeff has made Law's birthday cake, every year, for the past four years. For some reason, he disappeared this year, which means it's now your responsibility!"

Feeling ridiculous, Sanji answered tentatively, "But I knew nothing about this arrangement. Zeff…never said anything about making anybody's birthday cake."

"Of course he wouldn't! It's a fucking secret!" the wine opener declared. "If he did, we'd kill him! We are everywhere!"

" _Everywhere_!" filled the castle with voices, more than Sanji could imagine in one area, and he tensed, face filling with fright.

"Since we couldn't find him, it's up to you," the wine opener said gravely. "Don't fuck this up. Or we'll murder you."

At this, Sanji looked at him with distaste. Then kicked the item across the room, shouting, "Don't threaten me! You want me up here, you don't fucking threaten me! You _ask_ me, you dipshit! That's what people do, they fucking ask things of another, _nicely_!"

"Everyone, back away!" came a stern voice. "I've seen him kick through doors like they were nothing!"

"He's dangerous!"

"Maul him!"

"Get him from behind!"

"Everyone! Calm your ass!" came another voice, and Sanji watched as a hand mirror stood up atop of the nearby couch, whirling around in place. "Doffy deserved that kick, he knew better! Set aside your differences – this is for Law."

Sanji felt pressure on his ankle, and he looked back, seeing that a baby blanket was wrapping tightly around him, growling. From the voice, he determined that it was a child, cursing with a muffled voice. He reached down and jerked the material away, the kid shouting, "I'll kill you for hurting Doffy! The young master does not deserve your brutality!"

Frowning at it, the blanket struggling in his hand, Sanji looked around himself. Then began walking towards the fire, intending on throwing the thing into the hearth. This time, everyone screamed with horror, and the blanket wrapped around his arm with a shrill scream. He paused in mid-step, hearing the blanket start to cry.

"What is…this?" he questioned, utterly bewildered.

"Fuck!"

"Damn!"

"Shit!"

" _Ass_!"

"We've been discovered-dasuyan!"

Sanji looked about, unsure of where the voices were coming from. But then movement caught his eye, and he saw a broom and an ice cream scooper moving out from near the back staircase, as if they had just descended it; the paintbrush from earlier screeching out with dismay, moving hastily in his direction, shouting at him to put the blanket down.

The coat rack had also shifted out of its spot, standing like some shadow against the couch. Next to it stood an armoire, a dresser, and what looked to be a fireplace poker. A suit of armor in the corner clacked its helmet, but all he was saying was 'blah blah blah'.

His face paled significantly as the wine opener hopped up to the couch next to the mirror.

"Put Dellinger down! If you have a heart in that harpy body of yours, you'll realize you're about to throw a _child_ into the fire!"

Because it was intensely disturbing to think that he was holding a 'child' – looking at the teddy bears imprinted on the material, hearing the young voice – Sanji tossed the blanket away from him.

Then he stared at the gathering of supposedly inanimate objects around him, the blanket shuffling towards the paintbrush, who twirled its long handle into the center of it, wrapping the material around itself, as if hugging it.

"What…what is this?" he questioned, a little breathlessly.

Moments later, from the window, the quill flew in, fluttering lightly until it landed on the floor.

"Damn, it's starting to rain again," it complained. "Did he make it up?"

Sanji stared at it, then started inching towards the doorway, so he could leave this enchanted castle. But as he did so, he heard something bigger moving behind him. He looked over his shoulder to where the bookshelves were, and saw the Beast standing there, glowering at him.

The intense silence was heavy for a few moments, Sanji's eyes widening significantly. He felt all the terror building in his chest, lungs tightening up, and before anything could happen, the wine opener screamed, so loud and high pitched that it caused everyone to complain and for Sanji to startle out of that state, looking to it with surprise.

The wine opener relaxed once more, saying, "Sorry. Just thought I'd do it for ya, save you some wind."

"You scared the shit out of me," the mirror scolded him.

"Out of _you_? I lost all of my clothes," the dresser complained, looking down at the opened drawers, clothes spilled over them, onto the floor.

"Ew, _disgusting_!" the broom yelled.

"Please get the fuck out," the Beast told Sanji, saying this in such a calm voice that it completely betrayed its appearance. Sanji stared at it once more, taking in the sight of its dark fur, its white-spotted horns, its rather threatening mouth with sharp, pointed teeth. From the distance between them, those narrow, angry eyes were amber with vertical pupils, rimmed with black. Overall, it reminded him of a mutated wolf, or a cow – if a cow could glare venomously.

"And if you know any singles, please urge them this way," the mirror said to Sanji, hanging over the arm of the couch, showing him his terrified expression.

" _Why_?" Sanji asked, looking back at the Beast with fright. "So it can eat them?"

"FUCK!" it shouted angrily, looming so viciously that Sanji jerked back, terrified. "Don't talk to him!"

"I don't want to die like _this_!" the wine opener yelled, jumping onto the back of the couch to face Sanji. "Look, make sure they're virgins."

"SHUT UP, DOFFY!"

"I only ask this because he's terribly embarrassed about his marital duties," the wine opener concluded. "It's easier if they're virgins so they can be embarrassed together."

"CORA! Make him stop!"

"FINE! Find him a super slut!"

"Knock it off, Doffy, you're embarrassing him! This is not a very good first impression," the mirror scolded the wine opener, and Sanji found the entire thing so perplexing that he could not feel fear, anymore. He just looked back at the Beast as it paced the stairway, wearing curiously mended clothes that fit its rather slender frame. Its tail slashed the air with agitation, and it seemed to snort, breathing heavily, walking on all fours like an anxious animal.

"Who are all of you?" he questioned, a little breathlessly.

"How dare you not recognize this presence of command," the wine opener said, jumping and leaping until it was posted in front of the first portrait. "THIS is me! Doflamingo Donquixote."

"Your appearance changed a bit," Sanji pointed out tonelessly.

"That is Corazon, the reason behind this entire mess," Doflamingo said, the mirror grumbling. "There is Vergo, Lao-G, Pink, Machvise, Trebol…over there is Jora, Dellinger, Baby 5 and Buffalo. That glowering mass with teeth is Law."

"Look, kid," Corazon said, hanging over the couch arm once more, "for the past four years, Zeff came up here to make Law a birthday cake. We can't find him anywhere, so it was suggested that we ask you, because you help him."

"Even enchanted things don't know where Zeff is?" Sanji asked, mainly to himself. His expression grew heavy with more worry. But he swallowed hard, taking in the situation with nervous action – faced with _talking_ inanimate objects, along with a Beast with a somewhat childish composition, Sanji found himself less frightened than he was earlier. But given weight to the kitchen talk about Zeff, he found himself nodding slightly. "Okay. If this was Zeff's will, I will take his place."

Corazon looked at him with a slight tilt. "How old are you?"

"Seventeen," Sanji answered with hesitation. "Why?"

"Law, he's seventeen!" Corazon said, as if the Beast couldn't hear him. "That's pretty close to your age, right? Maybe you can be friends!"

"NO!"

Sanji looked at the Beast once more, uncertain of what to say or think as the creature jerked upward onto its hind legs, holding onto the railing of the pathway with hugely clawed hands.

"How old are you?" he asked curiously.

"This is his twenty-second birthday!" Corazon cried happily, then was hit with a bunch of 'boos!' and hisses from the objects around him, the couch moving violently to toss it to the floor.

The Beast gave an enraged roar. "KNOCK IT OFF! This is no reason to celebrate my stupid birthday, anyway! It's the last year! We're all going to die!"

"Then you do it with one last cake!" Corazon cried. He looked at Sanji once more, whose cynical expression said everything for the moment. "Please make it special. More than likely, with his attitude, it'll be his last. _Our_ last."

"…Okay. Uh…I brought…blueberries. It'll…there were no specifics, so it'll be lemon with blueberries, with a light strawberry glaze. Um, with filling….for just…you?" Sanji asked, looking at the Beast with a tentative expression, then looking around. "Yes. Just you. There's…no other human here?"

"I don't like blueberries – "

"You'll eat what I fucking serve you! Don't complain about the shit I make after I went through all this rain and trouble just to make you a fucking birthday cake! You wanted specifics, you should've told me beforehand!"

All of them were stunned into silence, the Beast's mouth dropping open with insult, outraged that Sanji would speak to him that way.

" _Well_ ," Doflamingo commented, 'hands' on its supports, "if we all lacked a mother in our lives, now we've found one."

"I had intense flashbacks," Pica commented.

"Mine used to hit me with her shoe if I disobeyed," Pink said slowly.

"I didn't want a birthday cake!" the Beast snapped. "But if you're going to make it anyway…"

"So, we hear you're getting married," Jora interrupted, completely changing the subject. In the bright firelight, Sanji could see that her bristles were stiff with bright orange paint. "To whom, may we ask? Give us the gossip!"

All the objects looked at him as the Beast settled, sitting with a 'humph!' as they waited for his answer. Faced with all these objects looking at him, Sanji felt he were forcefully placed in the spotlight. He felt nervous, fiddling with his cloak.

"Uh…R-Rayleigh Silvers," Sanji answered slowly, then jerked back as all objects reacted with cries of upset, outrage.

"That guy is nearly _eighty_ years old!" Doflamingo cried.

" _Oh saints and stars_ , WHY?" Corazon exclaimed with horror.

"That ancient guy with the huge muscles?" Baby gasped, bristling.

"What a pedo!" Machvise cried with horror.

"That's _outrageous_!" Lao-G shouted, arms waving about. "He's only a few years youn _g_ er than I! What is wron _g_ with this world?"

"Even _we_ weren't so wretched," Vergo muttered grievously, wearing what looked like a piece of wood on its long body.

"Who is it? Who is it?" Dellinger asked, fluttering about, crawling over the dresser and armoire before flopping over the top of it.

"And I thought my situation was bad," the Beast muttered with disgust. "But yours takes the cake."

"If I had known that bothers you, I would've used that threat a long time ago to have you all behave," Doflamingo commented.

"You…you all know him?" Sanji asked incredulously, taking another step forward as all the objects before him voiced their horror and outrage over the name.

"Is this acceptable to you?" Corazon asked with concern. "That you're marrying such an old man?"

Sanji shrugged, fiddling with his cloak. "I've known him most of my life. I have no…no reason to reject him."

"Do you _love_ him?" Baby asked, scandalized by her own question.

Sanji shook his head, answering truthfully. His expression spoke volumes. He then added, "But I'm sure Zeff had my best interests in mind when he made the arrangements."

"Zeff is _okay_ with this nonsense?" Doflamingo asked with bewilderment. "I pegged him for a different sort of guy!"

" 'Pegged'…you really had to go there, didn't you?" Corazon scolded.

"It's not that big of a deal," Sanji muttered. "It happens all the time. If he felt this was appropriate, I need to go with it."

"If Zeff cared about you in anyway, he wouldn't just give you to some child molester without protest!"

"But he's seventeen," the armoire, Trebol, stated. "He's old enough to make his own decisions, so why go with this one if it troubles you so much?"

"I can't _wait_ to have a boyfriend!" the broom whispered to the ice cream scooper.

"It works out fine," Sanji muttered, feeling his face warm with embarrassment. "He offered, and…he treats me well. There are really no objections."

"But he's so _old_ ," the Beast muttered with disgust, lips drawn back to show frighteningly sharp teeth.

"Yeah, how _gross_!" Baby snapped.

"That's like Dellinger hooking up with Lao G-dasuyan," Buffalo said with immense disgust.

"EW!" the baby blanket cried. "Lao G is _ancient_!"

"Hey!" the coat rack complained.

Fists balling at his sides, Sanji snapped, "I don't owe any of you any explanations! You want this cake made, or not?"

"Fuck if I care, it's not like I can eat it. This was for Law, anyway," Doflamingo muttered with disgust.

"I don't want a fucking cake," the Beast growled, baring its teeth. "I DIDN'T WANT TO CELEBRATE THIS STUPID BIRTHDAY IN THE FIRST PLACE!"

"STOP YELLING!" Sanji snapped at him, covering his ears at his close proximity.

"I CAN'T HELP IT!" the Beast roared, the sound so loud that Sanji now knew why he'd always thought those previous roars were nothing but noise. "It's my stupid voice! What the fuck am I supposed to do, _whisper_?"

"For ten minutes," Doflamingo advised.

"Law, listen, it's your birthday, and the rose is in full bloom," Corazon said soothingly. "Now is the time we really start on this. Let's celebrate it with a cake. It's been awhile!"

" _I don't want it_ ," Law whispered, but it was still angry, and he clearly lacked patience for it, because he ended up yelling, "NO ONE WILL CARE! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!"

"At least we got a few more years in," Corazon said with a sigh. "Otherwise, we would've all died that night. Those townspeople were _triggered_."

"What sort of rose?" Sanji asked curiously.

"After Tsuru cursed us, she left behind a single rose that bloomed upon his twenty-second birthday," Vergo answered stoically. "It is basically a timer. Once he reaches the last of this year, we will die if he doesn't find, a, ah, wife or husband."

" _Oh_!" Sanji said, now understanding why the hunters spoke of the topics they had. "So…with the vines loosening, that means your birthday was just…the other day? The sixth?"

"What amazing observational skills you have," Law said sarcastically.

Sanji then cleared his throat, headed to towards the kitchen, saying, "Excuse me…"

"Gotta poo?" the dresser asked him with concern.

Sanji frowned at him with disgust. "I have a fucking cake to make. Don't make stupid comments like that."

"He's _way_ meaner than you are, Law," the dresser commented as Sanji stalked down to the kitchen.

Sanji ignored all that. In the kitchen, he went straight for the basket and unloaded all the ingredients. He heard the voices coming from the room upstairs, but gave it no more attention. The oven turned on on its own, giving the kitchen a pleasant warmth, and when he needed something, things moved on their own to accommodate him. He didn't know how many people were under this weird curse, but it did not make him feel better knowing he was mixing things with people that grunted and complained as he was using their bodies to do so.

But over an hour later, he had the cake finished, and he took the time to decorate it. he added icing flowers atop of it, sprinkled the remaining blueberries over it, and made star-like designs around the bottom. Once he was done, the workers in the kitchen 'ooh'ed and 'aw'ed over the finished product. He cleaned up his entire work area, much to the kitchen's delight. After he was through wiping down the counters, he surveyed the area with a nod of approval. He found a fork and then took the cake upstairs, finding that most of the objects had cleared out, and only the Beast – _Law_ – and Corazon were there. Law was glaring out the windows, positioned in a way that his head wasn't fully visible, and Corazon was at his feet, moving to side to side, talking in action.

"Finished," Sanji muttered, catching their attention. With an excited sound, Corazon waddled from side to side as Sanji walked over. But before he could reach him, Law reached out and pushed him back, away from the window.

"There's hunters out there, watching," Law muttered, to which Sanji looked over with understanding. At that moment, he felt bad that these people were watched so closely in their own home that they could not look out the window without being targeted. He wondered if Zeff had felt the same sort of compassion.

Sanji crouched, and pushed the platter over to them, Corazon looking over it with a light gasp.

"That's so _pretty_!" he exclaimed. "It's so wonderful! Look at it, Law! It's - !"

Corazon stopped talking as, despite his earlier complaints, Law pulled the platter to him and demolished the entire cake without the use of the fork. Sanji gaped at him with horror, watching as his carefully decorated creation disappeared in literal seconds, Law dropping the platter with icing, crumbs and glaze all over his furry face.

"It was okay," he muttered, long tongue flicking out to lick the sides of his muzzle. "I still don't like blueberries. And the filling was lame. There was too much of it. All in all, too sweet. Good thing I won't have another birthday, because this one already sucks."

Corazon cleared his throat with some embarrassment. "It was really nice of you to do this, Sanji," he said. "It was beautiful."

Sanji stood, saying nothing. But his hands balled into fists. "My food is …lame? ' _Okay'_?"

Law stood, carefully out of sight of the window. He turned away, brushing crumbs from his furry face as Sanji stared after him. Without a 'thank you' or any expression of appreciation, Law headed for the stairway.

But before he could get there, Sanji picked up a nearby table with various decorations atop of it and flung it at the Beast, catching him in the back. Corazon screamed in startled alarm as Law tumbled over the stairs, Sanji marching over with an enraged snarl.

"You stupid dog! My food is not 'lame', or just 'okay'!" he snapped. "I made it so that it appealed to your beastish taste, and it's light and delicate and the filling was made with a light cream as to not destroy your intestines, in case you're lactose intolerant! I know nothing about you, but I put a lot of care into it after all this, and you'll fucking appreciate it!"

"It tasted like shit! One day," Law snarled, rising up to his full height to loom over him, "you'll give your future _old man_ food poisoning so bad he'll die!"

Sanji glared up at him, wanting to strike out so badly that every part of him trembled with the urge. But then he thought about how all these people had been cursed and confined to this castle for twelve years, and he couldn't make himself do it. He then turned and snatched his cloak from the couch, and left the room, heading for the main doors.

"Law," Corazon said quietly as the Beast paced furiously, glaring at the windows. "Law, I'll never forgive you if you don't go and apologize to him."

"WHY SHOULD I?"

"It's important to me."

"Maybe this is his lesson for thinking it's okay to talk to me this way!"

" _Please_."

Giving the mirror a look of consideration, Law then grumbled, heading upstairs.

Sanji hurried his steps, feeling like he couldn't breathe. Running out from the stairway he headed for the Great Hall, making his way to the doors. They opened without him needing to slow and wait, and once he was outside, the chill of the night hit him, as well as the pelting rain. He stood out there for several moments, breathing heavily, feeling his eyes well up with tears.

"Hey. _Guy_."

He looked up then over his shoulder, pulling his hood up and over as he acknowledged the voice – mainly to hide his expression, and not to protect himself from the rain. It was the Beast, crawling over the stone wall to drop down into the heavy shadows on the walkway, fitting in against one of the pillars. From there, Sanji could see his eyes, and they were frightening in the dark, being that they were the only things he could really see.

"What the fuck do you want, you fucking jerk?"

"I _said_ , 'I'm sorry!'" the Beast whispered, struggling with the patience to do so.

Sanji stared at him in silence, having never heard him the first time. But after a moments, he mumbled, "Apology accepted."

Law then exhaled, a huge puff of steam in the air. "Also, why don't you just run away, if you don't want to get married?"

"And go _where_?"

"Fuck if I know."

"…Thanks. But I can't disobey Rayleigh," Sanji added grimly. He furrowed his brow as he watched rain create puddles at their feet. "Him or Zeff."

"Stupid."

Instantly offended, Sanji turned to face him, fists balled up at his sides. "Why is it? _Fucker_. You're the one trapped in a fucking castle for the rest of your fucking life! Who the fuck are you judging?"

"DON'T YELL AT ME!"

"LOWER YOUR GODDAMN VOICE!" Sanji looked away, feeling the tightness in his chest again, a feeling of helplessness swarming up from deep inside of him. "Besides, if it were that simple, I would've done so years ago!"

"It's not that hard to take a goddamn road out of town!"

Sanji closed his eyes with exasperation. The rain poured down, made it difficult to see twenty feet ahead of him.

"Then why don't all of you leave this fucking place?"

"Because we're fucking cursed here! We can wander around the fucking valley, but we can't leave here!"

"So it is true," Sanji commented, frowning a little. "What can you do to lift it? Get married?"

Grumbling, Law muttered so quietly that Sanji had to lean in just to hear him. He straightened up with a startled look.

"Blue gloves prove amiss?" he repeated with a puzzled expression.

"TRUE LOVE'S FIRST KISS!"

Sanji stood there for a few moments, then sputtered before slapping his hands over his mouth as Law glared at him, heaving with breath. After composing himself, Sanji cleared his throat. "I'm sorry. But you're going to die. My condolences."

"I KNOW! There's no point to this stupidity!"

Sanji exhaled lightly, shaking his head. Seeing the frustrated look on the Beast's face, the acknowledgment of defeat, left him feeling sympathy. He reached out and touched the top of his head, ruffling slightly the soft fur there.

"Let's make a deal," he said. "You guys help me find Zeff. I'll help you find this 'true love'."

"Why even bother?" Law muttered, a little surprised at the feel of Sanji's hand atop of his head. "I'm a fucking monstrosity. Do you honestly think that someone's going to think of me fondly in anyway? NO. This stupid curse was supposed to be Doffy's."

"I forgive you for being an ass to me, earlier."

"Look…we'll help you find Zeff. As for the other thing, forget about it. There's no chance," the Beast said, shaking his head. His ears shifted a bit, then he stepped out just a little to fling an arm out, causing Sanji to jump back, startled when wood shattered over him. When Law pulled his arm back, he was clutching part of an arrow he'd just snatched out of mid-air, examining it.

" _Ah_ ," he commented as Sanji looked towards the gates, startled that someone would shoot at _him_ when he couldn't see anything beyond the front walkway. He hurried closer to the pillar Beast was hiding behind, looking around anxiously. Then he noticed that Law was examining the weapon, interested in the stone that could have pierced his head. "This arrow, these are hunters from the East. Look at this arrowhead, it's carved from – "

Sanji reached out and grabbed the arrow, tossing it into the pelting rain. "These people are trying to kill you for the glory of the hunt, and you just comment on their fucking weapons with praise? Fuck on out of here, you stupid shit! I'm leaving!"

"Why are you so fucking angry?" the Beast yelled at him, standing full height – nearly eight feet tall. " _I'm_ the one that's angry! Get out of here!"

With that, he crawled back up the wall, a moving shadow that easily blended in with those created by the castle's towers, and disappeared somewhere where Sanji couldn't see, being that the rain pelted over him with a vengeance.

He struggled to hold in the growing feelings in his chest, then ran out over the walkway. The voices around murmured with question, but nothing stood in his path as he raced home, letting him go without a fight.


	5. Decisions

The next morning, he was quieter than usual, and Ussop kept looking at him with worry. There were less hunters in the tavern than there were the day before, and Rayleigh sat at the table nearest the hearth, thinking about something. Zoro didn't come in that day, and Sanji wondered why – if the man either feared Rayleigh, or respected him enough not to bother him.

"Is everything okay?" Ussop asked him as they stood at the sink, washing dishes.

"Yeah. Just…thinking," Sanji commented, drying them before setting them aside.

Ussop scrubbed for a few moments, then asked, "Sanji, tell me honestly – are you truly okay? We're friends, right? I know the situation with Zeff has you feeling someway about things, but I just feel that if you need to talk about it, you can say anything to me."

Sanji wiped a few more dishes clean before looking over at cook, who was busy frying chicken for that day. Then he lowered his voice, saying, "You remember that weird stuff that happened last night?"

"Yeah! Did you find out who it was?"

"Yes." Sanji hesitated for a bit, then said low, "I found out Zeff was visiting the castle."

Ussop drew back with a startled look, absolutely perplexed. "Wha…? No way! How…? What was he doing there?"

"What do you know of the man that lived there?"

"Oh, Doflamingo was a power hungry dude, real bad. He taxed everyone out of their earnings, intimidated shop owners, made this place his personal stomping grounds. People worked together to overthrow him, but they couldn't bring up the bravery to do so. So they paid this enchantress some money to curse him, and it worked, because nobody ever heard from them, again."

"This curse…it…only turned people into…things?"

"I thought it was ghosts! Because it's only voices you hear from the forest, and the hunters always describe such terrible things when they come back…"

"Doflamingo had children living there, right?"

"Yeah," Ussop said with a huff. "I remember them. They were rotten and mean, back then. Two boys and a girl, and no one liked them. They started fights, stole things, broke people's windows – they were little terrorists. They thought the world of Doflamingo, and Doflamingo thought they were just the most well behaved children!"

"Those three were pretty terrible," cook said, interrupting them. "One of them, Buffalo, used to bully my boys a lot. And the girl, Baby, she would start fights with girls, steal their grocery money, take their jewelry. Law would throw rocks at livestock to start stampedes, tell lies to get people in trouble with Doflamingo's officers, and convince small children they were dying. They were really the worst. Doflamingo really took care of them, though, considering that they were abandoned by circumstances. They weren't missed when the curse hit."

"No one had sympathy for those people, Sanji," Ussop said. "They really asked for it. To this day, all the town has regret for is being unable to blow that castle to the ground. If Doflamingo ever returned, I'm sure he'd punish the entire town for this. That's why the hunters try really hard to get to the Beast's head. Once it's on display, everyone will feel better."

"What if they were different? They felt bad for their crimes?" Sanji asked.

Both of them reacted with snorts.

"Doflamingo used to kill people on the streets for not paying their taxes," cook said. "His brother would set fires to people's houses for not complying to their rules. I remember Vergo killing groups of men for not handing over their farmlands, their stock when Doflamingo demanded it. These weren't good people."

"And those kids would've grown up to be the worst of them," Ussop added. "There's no redeeming them."

Sanji thought of the group of inanimate objects talking in unison last night. How they all reacted with horror and fright at Dellinger being threatened with a fiery death. How they insisted on Law having a birthday cake. How Zeff came up to the castle every year to make one of these. Having never experienced their crimes, of course Zeff would feel that small sense of compassion for them.

"That's a shame," he murmured. No wonder Law felt as he did, and why everyone reacted to the rose's bloom.

"Well, it's in the past," Ussop said. "Life is much happier without them. Look at us. We're prospering pretty well! And without all the crimes that they'd resorted to!"

"You're right."

"So, what were you going to tell me?" Ussop asked curiously. "Adding onto the other thing you were just talking about."

Sanji shrugged. "I suppose I received my answer. I just…I don't know that much of this place."

"Well, if you're marrying Rayleigh, I'm sure you won't stay here for very long," cook said. "This isn't his hometown. He'd only settled here because of Doflamingo. They were rivals."

"Really?"

"Yeah. A long time ago, Rayleigh's boss, Gol, he and Doflamingo fought a lot over territory and business rights over the river. He came by just to see if the rumors were true about Doflamingo. He's actually from the South, and more than likely, he'll want to move back once you two are bound."

Sanji froze at the thought. He had only been the North for most of his life, half of it with Zeff. To think that they'd uproot and move elsewhere terrified him. In a way, he wondered if Zeff had known this, and essentially abandoned him to Rayleigh because of it.

"Oh," he said, a little breathlessly.

Ussop looked up at him with concern. "Are you okay?"

"I just…it caught me off guard."

"Maybe it's not something he's planning on doing," Ussop said. "He seems pretty happy here. And it'll be an adventure, Sanji. Just think of it like that. Why don't you ask him?"

"No. Because if that's what he wants, then…I have no choice. I'll have to go with him. I just…wasn't prepared for that, I'm sorry."

Ussop lowered his eyes back to the dishes, doing a few more while Sanji stared at the sink with worry on his expression. Then he wiped it away, exhaling heavily. "No use thinking about it. What'll be, will be."

He then dried his hands and went to the plates, scooping them up. Along with some utensils, he went out onto the main floor to start serving those waiting for their meals, and Ussop and cook exchanged a look.

"I feel bad for the guy," cook mumbled. "I feel like he was forced into the marriage."

"I do, too. But really gets me is how he just goes along with it," Ussop grumbled, finishing the dishes. "He has the strength to say 'no', so why isn't he doing it?"

"Rayleigh has that effect on everyone," cook mumbled. "No one can say 'no' to him. That's just how it's always been."

: :

Towards the afternoon, when there was a lull between customers, Rayleigh exhaled shortly. Sanji had come to his table with some food and tea, but Rayleigh wasn't interested in his plate. The older man looked slightly melancholy, his silver mane pulled back from his face, white robes dirt free – his animal fur jacket with hood was folded neatly next to him, and he kept tapping on the table with the pad of his finger, eyeing each and every one of the hunters that came in.

Sanji noticed that he made all of them uncomfortable, leaving small tips and nearly full plates. He made a plate with the remaining amounts from three other plates, stacking them neatly aside him before eating. Rayleigh watched him, looking at him fondly. Then he pulled in a shallow breath before shifting uncomfortably in his chair.

"Listen, Sanji, I…I don't think Zeff will return to town. I received a note last night about his whereabouts. He's already moved on. He asked that I continue watching over you. I felt offended on your behalf, when he suggested that in return, I leave my horse with full supplies on its back at the edge of town. That was where I was, last night. I'd hoped he'd take the horse while I was watching, but he didn't show up. This morning, the horse was gone."

"I was traded for a horse with supplies, hmm? Somehow, I don't feel surprised," Sanji muttered, looking at the tabletop. He felt hurt at Zeff's indifference towards him, now convinced that his feelings of being 'owned' by the man had been right all along. It made his jaw clench, and his eyes burn. He must've expected Zeff to feel differently about him to feel this hurt. He continued eating to focus on something else.

Rayleigh looked him over, then reached out and touched the top of his head. Sanji hated the way the man touched him, patting him like he was a child. But Rayleigh seemed to enjoy it, running his gnarled fingers through his hair before forcing him to look at him rather than the plate. Like always, Sanji felt he had no choice in the matter. He was sure his emotions were tucked away, so Rayleigh wouldn't get the wrong impression. He didn't want to disappoint the man anymore than he had with Zeff.

"Saturday, then. You can invite your friends," Rayleigh said, smiling lightly. "We'll cover over this with something joyous, and happy. I might be old, but I've got decades left in me. You won't be alone."

"Ussop said he'd be there," Sanji mumbled, feeling sick at the thought of doing this. He looked at the man he'd only seen as Zeff's friend, an 'uncle'. Now this man would be sharing his bed, treating him as if he were now his property, and he couldn't do a thing about it.

He thought of Law's words the night before, suggesting that he just 'run away' instead. If he could, he would have – but he felt pulled towards the older man, unable to make a choice of his own. All he could do was accept it.

"Just Ussop?"

"I have no one else, sir," Sanji said.

"Then it's settled. I'll buy you some wedding clothes. Would you like that?"

Sanji shrugged, not seeing the difference, and Rayleigh said, "Then tell cook you'll be leaving for the afternoon. We can go get you fitted right now, and maybe you'd like to pick the spot where we can exchange our vows."

"I don't mind where it happens, sir. Words are words."

"Look, Sanji, marriage is acceptable between men, here. There's nothing to be ashamed of. Is that why you have this attitude?"

Sanji swallowed hard, and shook his head. "I just…find it difficult that Zeff will not be there."

Rayleigh nodded with understanding. "Then come. This will take your mind off things."

Reluctantly, Sanji left his chair as Rayleigh left his, and when both of them retreated to the kitchen, most of those sitting in the tavern shivered, or cringed.

Not an hour after they'd left, as Ussop was cleaning the tables, Zoro burst in through the doors, looking around with a sweaty expression. His bearskin cloak was dirtied with dried mud, brambles, and what looked like half of a bird's nest. The other hunters just looked at him with judgment.

"He's off for the day," Ussop told him flatly, frowning at him. "What do you want?"

"Okay, look, I was making my way up the hill, and…somehow, the hill moved," Zoro said, reaching back to pull out a branch from his hood, tossing it aside. Meanwhile, his boots left mud clumps over the floor, causing Ussop to cry out with dismay. "I didn't make it up Flower Hill."

"Man, you suck at directions!"

"I just…look, guy…it's important that I talk to him. please. It has to be him," Zoro said stiffly, looking troubled. Ussop recognized that this wasn't one of his desperate measures to get Sanji's attention, and he set aside the dishes he'd been gathering.

"I can help. I'm his friend. He trusts me," he said, Zoro frowning at him, but he nodded.

"Fine. Get some warm clothes on. I need you to do something for me. I marked the place so I'm sure to find it, again."

"I better pack for a week," Ussop muttered, hurrying back to the kitchen. He told the cook what was happening, and quickly left before cook could protest. Once out on the street, Ussop removed his headwrap and then indicated for Zoro to follow him.

"Where's he at, anyway?" Zoro asked, looking around them. Everywhere, people were busy; either enjoying the market area, or chasing small animal herds through the narrow streets, or just visiting with each other. They made sure to keep an eye out for those spilling waste into the gutters, where rain water helped flush it down to the drains underneath the board walks.

"With Rayleigh. The guy's taking him shopping. They'll be married on Saturday," Ussop said darkly. "Apparently, Zeff left Rayleigh with the instruction to take care of him, so – "

"Which is why this is super important," Zoro said, looking at him from the side of his eye. "If we get there in time, Sanji's not going to marry that bastard."

Ussop looked at him with a start, then dread, seeing that expression on his face. "Why? Why, Zoro?"

"I don't want to say right now. I just need you to come look. Maybe it is better that it's you. I'm new in town, so I don't know too many people, but this…this is important."

Ussop nodded, feeling sick to his stomach. Once they reached his house, he quickly found his water proof clothes, his hiking boots, and packed enough supplies for a week, resulting into too big of a pack, earning Zoro's disgust. But when he was ready, they headed out to the edge of town.

Two hours later, they came back and went the other direction, Ussop incredulous at Zoro's bad sense of direction.

: :

That night, when they were settled in bed, Sanji thought about the castle's occupants. The inanimate objects were right to bear the curse Tsuru had put on the castle, and he wondered why they felt in need of redemption. At the same time, he felt sympathy for them because maybe now they'd learned their lesson, and would be better people. Maybe instead of working for the people, they could learn to work with them. It sounded like Doflamingo had managed the small town into a profitable state.

Maybe he could visit with them, to see if their mindsets had changed to allow this. Then he thought about Law's problem – after all that attitude that night, there was no way that Beast could find anybody to love him enough for that Kiss. It was absurd. He was too childish, too angry, too bratty. The way he hollered out insults, having Doflamingo insult him back, and looking so – fierce.

But then he wondered about those times after Tsuru's curse, where Law had to accept that he was suffering in Doflamingo's place and he felt the utmost sympathy for him. For a child to take on an adult's punishment seemed so pitiful. _Unfair_. He should've been one of those inanimate objects, along with Baby, Buffalo and Dellinger, not a beastly creature with no hope of getting that True Love's Kiss.

He felt Rayleigh shift next to him, his bigger body warm and hard underneath a light shirt and cotton capris. He tensed, going rigid as he thought about how comfortable it had been laying next to Zeff all these years – at least the man had only provided his body for warmth, not for _this_. He remembered, as a child, cuddling up to the man's broad back and falling asleep peacefully. He remembered feeling secure and safe with him snoring on the other side of him, and –

He just didn't understand why Zeff would just trade him for a horse. For all those years of loyalty, of devotion. He never talked back, and he didn't refuse an order, so shouldn't that have been something? But Sanji had always known that he was only property, and he told himself not to feel so hurt about it. This was how it was done.

He felt the older man shift again, his head too close to his in the dark, and stiffened up. He felt Rayleigh's hands snake up his nightgown, pushing the material up around his waist, the older man already moving over him. This man had met them when they first arrived in town, and he was cheerful and friendly towards them, giving Sanji candy and new clothes with a gentle smile and soft words, Zeff tutting about 'spoiling' him. How did it go so fast from that to this, where Rayleigh's mouth moved over his hips and up his stomach, and his hands went to his face, encouraging him to take in his fingers? He didn't want to do this, but he couldn't tell Rayleigh 'no'. But he took them in, wetting them as much as he could, feeling like gagging.

"This will help with our wedding night," he'd told Sanji the other day, knuckle deep inside of him, where it hurt so much that Sanji only concentrated on not letting pained tears show. "You're so small and tight. Perfect. Just right for me."

When Rayleigh removed his fingers from Sanji's mouth, he replaced them with his own mouth, and Sanji wondered if Law knew what he was in for, because kissing somebody was one of the most unpleasant things anyone could ever endure.

: :

Law woke from his fitful slumber at the sound of muttering coming from the stairway. Ever since he'd changed from child to beast, his sensory perception was outrageous. Sounds that were normal were now too loud, smells were too much, and his vision – the loss of color took longer to get used to. He'd forgotten what colors the sunsets were, and the green of the valley, and the skies…everything was a picture of black and white and night was different, his vision adjusting sharper, seeing moving shapes as distinctively as starkly painted pictures without detail. He had to get used to his bigger form, for the fact that having fur in the summer was mighty uncomfortable, that he was prone to picking up ticks and stickers when he ventured out – it was a good thing that Jora could manipulate her bristles enough to force the insects out, but he mourned the loss of his human form every day.

He wondered what he'd look like – he hoped he was tall, strong, much like his form, now. That way, when he took revenge on the townspeople, they'd feel his wrath for sure. All of the Donquixote family fantasized about what they would do to them once the spell was broken, and that was one of their main driving points to break the curse.

They'd burn the entire town down, and make all of them suffer for what they did.

With his bedroom located in the top tower on the far east of the castle, he sat up, yawning noisily. Looking out the window, he looked over the valley, watching the fog sweep through with majestic fanfare. The chill in the air was definite, and while it didn't affect him or the others very much, he was reminded of a time when it had. They only lit the fires in the main family room, and not the entire wings whenever possible. He sat up and looked out the window, watching the vines on the walls tighten, flowers blooming amongst the thorns. Tsuru had recognized that he was very vulnerable as a child, and had done what she could to protect the estate before leaving.

But the vines had slackened recently, and it was only because the black rose had opened up to a full bloom. He looked over at it, the flower floating in mid-air, black petals opened wide to reveal velvet recesses. He glared at it, teeth bared. Because of that woman and her incompetence, it was now up to him in this year to find True Love.

It was bullshit. How was he supposed to do that when he looked like this? When he lacked proper human skills – how was he supposed to convince anybody to love him when he couldn't even love himself? He was a boy when this had happened, where he thought girls were gross but fun to make cry, and he couldn't even picture himself falling for one. Or a man. What was he supposed to do with a man? Such bullshit.

But at the same time…he was tired of living this way. He wanted his human body back. He wanted to leave the castle grounds, and he wanted to walk in town just like everyone else. He wanted his vision back, and he wanted his revenge. Snuffling, he rose up from the bed, brushing himself off. He yawned again and made his way out of the room – it was destroyed from one of his fits of rage, resembling nothing as it had been when he was a child. The curtains were destroyed, still pooled on the floor from bent curtain rods – toys were scattered on the floor, covered in dust and spiderwebs. Books were shredded and pulled from spines, and all his clothes, all his prized possessions were now mounds of trash that smelled and made warm homes for vermin.

He heard voices coming from outside, and paused by a stairway window to look out. There were hunters at the east side of the wall, conversing with each other. One of them had spent their time gathering flowers in a basket, intending on taking them back to town to sell.

'These are special flowers,' he remembered Tsuru saying, showing off one of them during her rare visits. 'These will bloom and call to those meant for you."

'What the fuck does that even mean?' he snapped at her. 'They'll talk?'

'They'll carry your scent, which is good, for it's only one of the rules for attraction,' she had said merrily. 'Smell is very important to a lover.'

'HOW STUPID!'

'But, they'll only bloom to the ones that have promise,' she said. 'They won't bloom for everybody. So if you see one of these open for someone, that's when you should shoot in for the kill. I designed it to resemble one of my lovers. Her lovely petals would open for me like - '

' _Tsuru_!' Cora had cried with horror.

'No, no, continue, it was getting interesting,' Pink said, his lower drawer slowly opening.

"'Ch," Law muttered now, watching the hunter walk down a pathway, the others waving him off. In the midst of some of the vines, he saw rigid bodies hanging from thorns, slowly rotting in the sun. He hoped someone from town would come up and get rid of them. This might be an enchanted castle, but it wasn't a goddamn graveyard, just yet.

He then thought about Sanji's deal – only he did not know what the guy's name was.

"I think it was Sanji," Machvise said. "That's what Diamante said. Zeff called him 'Sanji'."

"Sanji Silvers? How stupid. He should kill himself."

" _Law_ ," Cora admonished, "don't be that way. He was very upset talking about it. I'm sure he really does not want to be married to such an old man."

"Look, he offered to help us with this problem, but in return, we need to look for Zeff," Law said, waving Corazon's scolding away as he walked out from the main room and down a narrow corridor towards the west end of the castle. "So, send out everybody to start scouring the pathways for that old man."

"Oh! That's so nice of him! Machvise?"

"Yeah, I'll tell 'em."

"How is he going to help us, Law?" Corazon asked as they emerged into a brightly lit room, which was originally their playroom.

Everything was decorated with bright paints, the ceiling painted with a half night and half daytime view. Along the walls were playground equipment, toys, and targets for weapon practice – bows and arrows, axes and the like. There were fighting dummies that were fully destroyed, laying in shambles, hay spread everywhere. Baby would sit in here, looking over the collection of dolls she used to play with, and Buffalo would hit at the building blocks with the back part of his head, and all of them would feel angry and lost over what had been some of their greatest joys, lost to them because of Tsuru. The loss of their childhood felt like a horrible punishment for kids only being kids.

Doflamingo had picked up Baby from a trafficking ring outside of the valley, where men intended on selling her in town. She was unable to tell anyone where she'd come from. She had been traumatized so severely that she never spoke about her past. But she was relieved that a man would treat her like a child and not a toy. When she was little, she'd always declare that she'd be Doflamingo's wife. Law and Buffalo teased her about that period in her life, causing her to try and kill them both from severe embarrassment.

The man had found Buffalo being forced to work manual labor with other slaves, used only because he was big for his age – he'd been abused with physical force, hit so hard in the head that he now thought slow, never to catch up with their age mentality. He followed Doflamingo like a grateful puppy. Law had found his way to town in the back of a cattle wagon, separated from his family in a massive fire that consumed everyone – when slave drivers tried to sell him in town, Doflamingo had taken him home after killing those trying to profit off him, so Law looked up to him as a sort of savior.

Being provided a loving home with caring adults that only wanted the best for them caused the three of them to grow as they did, responding to positive encouragement by those the townspeople considered as villains. If they weren't told differently, then how were they supposed to know that they were crooks? Doflamingo spoiled them rotten only because of the way that they were treated, intending on giving them a loving family, so of course the kids would look up to them. But to include them in the curse? It felt unfair.

So, of course Law was angry all the time.

It took him a few moments to answer Corazon's question. "I don't know. Seems stupid to rely on him. But how else am I supposed to find this person?"

Corazon sighed. "I know…"

"I truly feel that Tsuru set us up to fail," Law mumbled, sitting near the corner of the room he'd enjoyed the most as a child. It was full of shelves with books on them, with cutting tools he used to dissect small animals with, following the medical books Doflamingo had mailed in from other regions. All the pans that he'd used were clean, now, but one of them held the skeleton of a cat, still spread in formation. Here were his favorite rocks – some with sparkles, some with crystals, bones – and there were small treasures he'd taken from town. There was a full skeleton of a rat he'd put together from an owl's pellet, and a blanket he liked wrapping up in when the toy room was freezing.

He reached out and looked over the books that he'd left spread over a small desk, along with his drawings. His pencils were gone, crushed into small black piles on the floor, and charcoal had been stripped over the walls.

"What do I even _do_ , Cora? How do I make someone even like me?" he asked sullenly, unable to wrap his head around it.

"We'll do our best," Corazon assured him, settling himself atop of the desk, his reflective surface catching the nearby sunlight coming in from shredded curtains. "I'm sure Sanji has some ideas. We're desperate, Law. We have a year to do this, we've got to do everything we can

Law sighed heavily, nervous at the thought. But he wanted to be human again, to get his revenge. It was all he thought about, really. Once he regained his human form, he'd make those townspeople regret _everything_. All he had to do was find love to do so. He narrowed his eyes, curling his claws into tight fists. He put all his determination and patience into accomplishing this goal.

"Well, let's do this. Someone go get him. I'm ready to fall in love."

Corazon wished he wouldn't say that while wearing such a vengeful expression. It almost ruined the point.


	6. Lessons in Conversations

"To be honest, I'm probably not the right person to ask for these types of things," Sanji said, stirring a large mixing bowl of pasta before adding sauce. From there, he combined it with meatballs, spread some cheese over it, and then presented the platter to Law with a heavy exhale. Around him, most of the kitchen workers 'ooh'ed and 'ah'ed, Law's nose working with careful action as he inhaled the scent from the platter.

Sanji watched with disgust as the Beast pushed the platter up to his face, eating everything sloppily and hungrily, spilling pasta, sauce and meatball chunks everywhere. Corazon gave a low groan of embarrassment, he and Doflamingo perched on the kitchen island.

"It's like watching you maul a small baby!" Doflamingo hollered out. "This is not proper!"

Sanji kicked the platter while it was still in Law's face, the metal clanging sound ringing out over the kitchen as Law stumbled backwards, giving a pained shout. But when the platter dropped, he was wearing most of his meal over his face and mane, and Sanji sucked in his lips because his face started to shift. The urge to chuckle caught there in his throat, but he swallowed it down with one hand over his mouth.

"WHY DID YOU DO THAT?" Law bellowed with outrage before sneezing, spewing out noodles and chunks of meat over Sanji, who reacted with disgust.

"First off, moron, I'm pretty sure there is NO ONE ON THIS EARTH THAT WILL THINK YOU'RE ATTRACTIVE WHILE YOU EAT LIKE THIS!" Sanji ended in a bellow, kicking him before wiping his face and neck. "It's fucking gross!"

"I'm HUNGRY."

"Learn to control yourself!" Sanji snapped at him, crouching to pick up the fallen pieces of pasta, dropping it all back on to the platter. Law shoved him away and ate again, cramming everything into his mouth while Sanji caught himself and stared at him with utter disgust. But Law ate everything off the floor and on the kitchen island, licking the sauce bowl clean.

He then burped noisily, the Donquixote brothers both offering disgusted expressions.

"It was too filmy," Law complained, wiping his muzzle with both palms and licking them clean. "And the pasta was overcooked. The sauce tasted too much like fucking tomatoes."

"And yet, you cleaned your fucking plate," Sanji pointed out, rising to his feet, brushing himself off.

"Only because I didn't get a chance to go hunting this morning," Law grumbled, finding pieces of meat in his mane and eating those, too.

"You leave the grounds?" Sanji asked curiously.

"The hunters are more focused on what's happening inside the walls, rather than outside," Law explained, licking his muzzle again. "Is that it? That's all you made?"

"I made enough to serve six people. I'll take that into account next time," Sanji said, exhaling heavily as he surveyed the mess that was made. But he was secretly pleased because, despite the complaints, Law had finished it all.

Law snorted, dragging his fingers over his fur, finding more bits and pieces and eating those as well. "Well, good thing, because it smells in here – "

"DON'T COMPLAIN WHEN YOU ATE EVERYTHING!" Sanji shouted at him, kicking him in the leg. Law shouted with pain, backing away, bumping into various things as he reached down to grab his leg. Huffing, Sanji started gathering all the pots and pans he'd used to make dinner with, and set them into a full sink, looking at the pot that dumped hot water into the space. He was still getting used to who was a worker and who wasn't.

"First off, let's work on your goddamn attitude," he grumbled, dumping soap into the water and then testing it.

"It pretty much sucks," Doflamingo said. "I take responsibility for it. I've warped him into a miniature version of myself. Unfortunately, no one can take me seriously in this state, so my effective ways weren't as influential."

"You need to stop doing that," Corazon told him.

"I know my attitude sucks, but how do you change something you've always been?" Law asked with a frustrated snarl, walking around Sanji as he did the dishes. With his height, he could see where Sanji was still wearing parts of his meal, so he began plucking pasta he found on his shirt, his hair. Sanji looked at him with surprise, disturbed that this Beast would eat the foods he'd sneezed out at him.

"First off, think before you speak," Sanji said, scrubbing hard. "If it's a shitty comment, don't say it. If it's a nice comment, then go ahead, say it."

After some silent moments, Sanji looked over to see if Law was listening, and saw that the Beast was just standing there, glaring at him.

"If you have something to say, say it!" Sanji snapped at him.

"It's _not_ nice, that's why I'm _not_ saying it!"

"We are going to die, that's all there is to it," Doflamingo told Corazon as they continued to snap at each other. "Did you dig your own grave?"

"I want to face the sun, that's all that I ask."

"Let's go out to the gardens, have the shovels start on our plots."

"You two are not allowed to do that!" Law snarled at them, overhearing them. "I am going to succeed at this, since this is basically _ALL YOUR FAULT_!"

"It's only the first day, so I suppose we'll start off this way," Sanji said, rinsing everything off and setting them in the drying rack. He drew back with startled action as it began drying things off and moving around, putting dishes back into their proper stacking order. "Right now, if you two have nothing better to offer, then please, see your shitty selves out that fucking door because you're not helping. Fucking assholes."

"Why are you so _angry_?" Doflamingo asked, hands on his 'hips'. "You're giving my boy lessons on being a better person, but you're just as much a shitty person yourself!"

"If you don't want my help, then don't fucking sneak me away from my job in the middle of the afternoon! Cook was forced to close down early!" Sanji snapped at them, turning to face them. "When Rayleigh discovers that I'm gone, what's he going to do? Or think? I know he's going to look for me!"

"Don't worry about it. Diamante has you covered," Doflamingo said. "Old men are curious about things, so Diamante's team led him off into a merry race through the forest looking for clues."

Sanji lifted his eyebrow. "Should I be concerned about it?"

"No. The end result is…unimportant."

Both of them hopped off the counter and headed upstairs, talking about their cemetery plots. When they reached the family room, Doflamingo hollered out for everyone to gather together – they were going to talk about their graveyard facing the rising sun. At their frustrated shouts and threats, Sanji looked back at Law to see how he was taking it, and the Beast growled, fur ruffling at his head and neck, claws tightened into fists. Clearly, no one had any hope in him.

"Look, ignore them. What else about my attitude should I fix?" Law asked, forcing Sanji to face him.

"First off, you can't be pushy," Sanji said, peeling his fingers off him and stepping back. "Level yourself away from this high and mighty… _thing_ …you have going on, and just…sit back and listen. Observe."

Law nodded with a frown, absently plucking at a dark tuft of hair at his chin. "Sit back and listen. Observe."

"Look at body language. What does it say when you walk into a room? And ask yourself, should I mirror this behavior, just to show that they can't expect me to sit back and take their shitty abuse? Or reflect something completely opposite?"

"I see," Law said, nodding. "Mirror body language to show comraderie."

Sanji bracketed his mouth with his index fingers, pushing the corners of his mouth up since he couldn't smile on his own. "The best way to look inviting is with a smile, talking with a light tone. That makes anybody feel comfortable enough to approach you."

Law frowned as Sanji stood there. He was speaking with such a bland expression, as if human behavior bored him. "You are none of these."

"I don't _feel_ inviting, so I'm not going to show any of these approachable signs. Now – _you_ smile, try for sociable. Let me see what I'm working with."

Law cleared his throat, looking up at the skylights, hissing, eyes narrowed as he tried visualizing himself _being_ approachable. He shifted about restlessly, trying to relax his shoulders to look non-threatening. There was no way about it, through – he was an eight foot tall monster with vicious fangs, with dangerous horns, and unsettling eyes that were capable of nightmares. He exhaled forcefully with a building growl, scowling at him.

"Never mind about the smile," Sanji decided, wiping his hands on his apron before removing it and setting it aside. Without a fire made, the castle was freezing cold, and he put his cloak back on. The kitchen was somewhat warmed with the candles lit and the stove on earlier, but the chill was still painful. "Let's work on your body language. Stand up straight, shoulders back, and… approach me. Let's see how this works."

He walked to the other end of the kitchen and crossed his arms tightly, watching as Law figured out this step with an uncomfortable expression of his own. He turned to face Sanji, then walked over to him, looking moments away from mauling him. Sanji shook his head tightly, then demonstrated his own words, acting them out.

"Instead of walking like you're going to fuck shit up, stand up straight. Open your chest in their direction. Face them directly."

Law tried, but he couldn't mimic that sort of body language. He was too big, too hunched, and years of skulking around had left him with a predatory stroll, light on his feet for quick movement. He gave up almost instantly with another frustrated expression and a growl.

"If you approach a possible love interest like this, they're going to run far away from you, dumbass! Think of it – if you saw a person approaching you like this, how would you feel?"

Law growled, then straightened up. "Like they want to be fucked up, that's what!"

Sanji studied him for a few moments, then asked curiously, "Have you ever been in a fight?"

Law sat down. " _Haah_? _Plenty_ of times."

"As a kid," someone mumbled.

"Around here, he just throws things, or breaks them."

"Actual human confrontation is a 'no'."

Law flipped the middle finger towards the appliances that snickered.

"I thought so," Sanji murmured. "Well, I guess it helps if you look and sound menacing to avoid confrontation…"

Sitting with a 'huff', Law glared at him, crossing his arms tightly over his chest. This slender human wasn't giving him much room to move – for as young as he was, Sanji had the demeanor of an old man. His face was cynical, eyes rimmed with scorn, and he spoke with a droll, disinterested manner. His body language was closed off, and he forced himself to open up, making every one of his actions stiff. Taking lessons from him seemed a little absurd.

"What about you? Do you fight?" Law asked with a sullen frown.

"Yes, as a matter of fact. Anyone that insults my cooking or disregards cook's hard work gets these feet."

"People have a right to disagree with you," Law pointed out, tail slapping on the floor. Sanji glared at him.

"I make great food from the barest of ingredients, and I - !"

"So what if you do? If someone doesn't like something, they shouldn't have to be forced into enjoying it," Law snapped back at him.

"Then people should tell me what they do like so I can fucking accommodate them! I don't have to do this, you know! I can just go back home and let you figure this shit out on your own - !"

"Oh, so, since someone else has a different opinion than you, then you can't handle it? It's your way or no way at all? So you want to punish me for _not_ sharing your opinion? Is that it? Well, FINE! GO AHEAD AND THINK THAT WAY!" Law ended in a roar that caused Sanji major discomfort, ears ringing, but he scowled back at him as the Beast loomed over him menacingly. "But you're not going anywhere until I know more about this approachable stuff."

Sanji stared at him in silence, watching him sit back down with an air of expectation. Taking a deep breath, he muttered, "Let's try conversation."

" _This_ is going to be good," someone commented with amusement.

"I'll pretend that I'm not scared of you, and you…keep my interest. Volley good things back to me."

"What's 'good things'?" Law asked. "For clarification purposes."

"Well, for example…How are you? I'm good, you look well, today. That sort of thing."

"Understood." With a deep breath, Law nodded, psyching himself up for the task. "Okay. I'm ready."

Sanji walked up to him, giving a flat, "Good morning."

Law frowned at him. "Why should I answer to that? You're not even showing any interest in wanting to know me, or – "

"ARGH! _FINE_!" Sanji cleared his throat soundly, then repeated a little falsely, "Good morning!"

Law narrowed his eyes, standing once more, snorting. "I feel you're mocking me. I'm trying to be serious about this!"

"I'm trying my best!"

"I don't see how is this inspiring me to want to conversate with you when you're being a jerk."

" _I'm_ being the jerk? _You_ \- !"

"Why are you getting mad at me? I'm participating in this, aren't I? I AM EAGER TO LEARN AND YOU'RE BEING AN ASSHOLE ABOUT IT!"

"STOP SCREAMING AT ME!"

"I'm going to ask that you take your lessons elsewhere, because my ears hurt," one of the appliances complained.

"Yeah, go somewhere else!"

Minutes later, Sanji looked around himself with an awestruck expression – there were so many books that his mind was blown at the sight of them. All the walls around him were filled with shelves upon shelves of books. The library had long floor to ceiling windows, a fireplace set within the wall that was decorated with fairytale characters chasing each other. He'd thought the family room was impressive – looking at a couple of shelves, he saw books on weapons, war, medicinal purposes. There were many containing maps, and animals, land, plants, clothing – most of them outdated but gorgeously bound. The curtains here were still intact, barely allowing sunlight in, so it was cold, and he shivered as Law sat down within the center of the room with an impatient huff.

"Try again, with effort," Law told him, frowning at him. "If I'm supposed to give a passable answer, I ask for passable effort."

"Fine, that's fair," Sanji mumbled, turning to him while hugging himself. He paused in front of him, trying to work his mouth into an adequate smile. Law frowned at him, snuffling with impatience. Sanji then smiled with obvious strain, saying, "Good morning!"

"Good morning."

"It's a beautiful day, isn't it?"

Law closed his mouth, unable to think of a proper answer. Some came to mind, but he thought they were over done; others weren't enough to be impressive. Plus, he didn't exactly care about the weather, so answering it was pointless. Then he thought about a question in return, and the entire conversation was out of order, so he froze, mouth opening and closing, and Sanji lifted a curled eyebrow as he waited.

"On your way to the market?" Sanji pressed.

"Uh…no. I'm…I'm…on my way to…uh, well," Law scrunched his face with concentration, struggling to remember the landmarks of the town, "that place, in the center, uh, to…the wishing well. Yes. I'm going to the wishing well."

Sanji pictured the well in the center of town, where kids threw in their treasured items, certain that their every wish was granted. "Oh? You are? What do you plan on wishing for?"

Law frowned at him. "It's a fucking _secret_."

"You fuck head, _that's_ how conversations start. From there, it matters how you carry them! What you say depends on how interesting you present yourself to attract attention, and therefore, attracting a potential mate!"

"You're not even – this is going to be impossible," Law muttered, ruffling his fur, then clutching his horns with both hands. "I don't know what to say to people."

Sanji frowned, blowing into his hands. With a mutter, he said, "I told you I wasn't the right person for this…but I'm trying, okay?"

"Well, we're both fucked. Do you know anyone else that's more…people friendly?"

"My friend, Ussop."

"Maybe he should be here, then."

"I don't think so," Sanji said, thinking of Ussop's reaction. The scaredy cat would most likely give himself a heart attack upon seeing Law. His lips curled with the thought. "Just seeing you would chase the ghost right out of him. He's terrified of his own shadow."

Law studied him for a few moments, then asked curiously, "What makes him your 'friend'?"

"Well, he…notices when I'm feeling down, and he tries to cheer me up. I feel that if I ever needed him, he will always make it a point to be there for me. I don't feel so alone with him," Sanji confessed low, smiling a little.

"Your…fiancé, he makes you feel the same way?"

Sanji's expression closed up. The bland face was back, and he said nothing for a few moments. "I…he is my duty, and that's it. Zeff traded…me for a horse."

"Like a piece of property?" Law asked, narrowing his eyes, bristling.

Sanji didn't say anything, looking down at the faded rug, debating on even delving into his personal thoughts and feelings. But with it being so fresh in his thoughts, over his heart, he felt unguarded because of the hurt.

"Then, why should we try to find him?" Law asked with a disgusted expression, standing up to pace the rug before sitting again, legs in front of him. "Doffy hates slavers."

"I didn't feel like a slave, but I didn't feel like…he would do this," Sanji mumbled. "And Rayleigh, he…I thought of him as a sort of 'uncle', and…I don't want to talk wrong of it, but I don't feel that it's right."

"Then why do it?"

"Because it's my duty!"

"To _whom_?"

Sanji had nothing to say for those moments, a little perplexed.

"You're a weak minded fool," Law then decided, standing up again. "It's easy to say 'no'. I do it all the time."

"Stop being so damn childish!"

"NO!" Law snapped, then grinned.

Sanji looked away with his lips pursed. "You're ridiculous."

"What's ridiculous are those eyebrows."

"What's ridiculous is your fucking immaturity."

" _Haah_?" Law frowned at him, walking around with a scowl. "Now you're just being insulting. Doffy says that if one is feeling angry, to 'go take a shit'. Maybe you should do that and come back here in a better mood."

"That is _absurd_!" Sanji laughed. "If you're having intestinal issues, it's your poor diet, not a mood changer."

"Well, why don't you try it and report back to me."

"I'm not talking with you my shitting issues," Sanji exclaimed incredulously. "How stupid. We are way off track, here. How did we even get on this subject, this is entirely inappropriate."

"I have no idea. Now. _Ready_."

Sanji shook his head, putting away his amusement. "Okay. Don't fuck it up, this time. Good afternoon."

Law settled himself in front of him, considering his much lighter expression. When Sanji smiled, he looked his age, but his eyes still looked tired. "Good afternoon. How is…your puppy?"

Sanji was amused at the random question. "He's well behaved, and quite ready to lead the herd on his own."

"You should…let me pet him." Law glowered at Sanji when the teen snickered. " _What_."

"I…I'm sorry. That's…that's a great example of friendly conversation, I just…had the picture of you petting someone's dog, and just…in that form…"

"SO?"

"Okay, okay. _Ahem_. Let's move on to something else. I…I like, uh, your shirt. Who made it for you?"

Law looked down at himself, frowning at the dirtied, holey purple shirt that Sanji realized was from the room downstairs – the curtains. He brushed his hair behind his ear, saying quickly, "It's a nice color."

"…This is stupid."

Sanji realized that he'd hit a sensitive topic. Those eyes said a lot as they narrowed, that muzzle curling. "…I'm sorry."

"If I say all that stuff to someone, they're just going to laugh at me," Law muttered. His hands balled into fists, and his breathing started to grow heavy. His fur bristled, and Sanji compared to watching a dog's hackles rise. Teeth were bared, and those eyes seemed to darken – he stepped back cautiously, trying to assess the situation. "This is so fucking dumb. This is all Doflamingo's fault!"

With that, he turned and upturned the nearby coffee table, sending it flying. After that was the couch, which he picked up over his head and threw against the wall furthest from him. Sanji was frightened because his rage seem to grow as he stood there, so he turned and ran out, hearing something smash and crash to the floor. But he didn't run away, like he wanted to. He paused halfway down, forcing himself to a stop. Then stood in the stairway, picking at his nails, hearing all the curses and harsh breathing and the breaking of things. From the bottom of the stairway, he watched as various objects peeked around the corner with concern, murmuring to themselves.

When he heard the last of it, Sanji slowly ventured back up, looking in cautiously. Furniture lay in broken pieces, and wood littered the rug,but the shelves were untouched. He stepped onto glass, and Law looked over with an upset expression, a little surprised that he was still there.

"We're definitely going to have to work on that," Sanji said calmly. "Throwing fits won't attract anyone to you."

"I get so fucking _frustrated_ \- ! _Okay_? What the fuck am I supposed to do?"

"Don't give up," Sanji said, sitting carefully at the edge of the upturned couch. "You can do this."

Breathing heavily, struggling for control, Law just stared at the carpet. Sanji wondered what he looked like as a man, unsure of which one of the children in the Great Hall that he was. He supposed he would have to ask, but not for today. He felt sympathy for the boy that didn't get a chance to grow up, and he wondered if Zeff had seen that, too.

"C'mon. One more hour of polite conversation – "

"I'm done," Law muttered turning and making his way towards the stairway, saying nothing more after that. Sanji watched him go, exhaling heavily. He looked around himself, taking in the sight of the mess, and watched as various cleaning tools entered the room. Brooms swept, hammers and nails came together, moving dollies and what looked like gaudy horseshoe coattrees picked up what they could. Some of the stuff was carried out, while firewood was created from some of the unsavables.

"Thank you for today, Sanji," Doflamingo said, coming up to him, leaping to rest atop of an upturned coffee table. "It's been awhile since Law was able to talk to someone that wasn't us. Zeff didn't give us very much by way of conversation. So, on that note, when and where will the wedding be?"

Sanji furrowed his brow. "Why?"

"We let you into our home, and we think of you as our friend," Doflamingo said.

At the thought of having various inanimate objects standing around while he married Rayleigh, Sanji felt his lips twitch. "We haven't picked the venue, yet. But I'll let you know."

"As also thanks to Zeff, for doing that thing he did for the past four years. We know how… _frustrated_ …Law gets, and while we've done what we can, having people like you come in and treat him humanely is something he needs," Doflamingo said. "We're rooting for him."

Sanji thought about his words, feeling his sympathy expand for the Beast. He nodded. "I'll do my best."

: :

In his room, Law paced. He felt helplessly angry and frustrated, and his blood boiled. He felt like an idiot for participating in such a stupid conversation with Sanji, and every time the teen spoke to him, he felt _stupid._ He had a feeling that Sanji looked down at him because he lacked maturity, because he wasn't so cultured with human interaction. All the interaction he'd had was the negative sort, when he was a child and he could get away with ridiculous things. And it was easy getting caught up in the Donquixote chaos, because everyone had a way with each other that came off as insanely stupid.

As a child, he fit right in. Now faced with someone outside the family, he felt incredibly aware of how he came across. He sat down on his bed, and then curled up with a low groan. There was no way he could charm anybody in this manner if he couldn't carry a simple conversation with Sanji without snapping.

Corazon peered in cautiously, along with Baby and Buffalo, and Law glared at them, turning his back to them as he faced the wall.

"How'd it go, today, Law?" Baby asked, venturing in. She swept a little, then gave up as they all moved towards his bed. "Did we get a lot accomplished, you big baby?"

"I hate myself."

"But Sanji was so nice to you-dyasun," Buffalo commented.

"Doesn't mean anything."

"So, we couldn't help but overhear it all," Corazon ventured slowly, hopping up onto his bed while Buffalo and Baby stood at the edge, nudging each other. "And all of us were talking…speculating…"

"About what?" Law muttered into his arms.

Baby snickered. "That you should give up looking for someone outside the castle and focus on winning Sanji."

" _What_?"

"Yeah! It's a great idea! You've already got him talking, and he was so nice - ! And he _is_ pretty cute for a guy his age," Baby added.

"I don't think I can do that," Law said, sitting up, giving them a bewildered look. "And besides, he's going to be married on Saturday!"

"Will he?" Corazon asked mysteriously. "I feel that if you try and win him, it'll be easier because you don't have to start over with someone from town."

"I don't know," Law muttered, pulling his knees up awkwardly. "He's so set on marrying that guy."

"Law, we just need him to lift the curse," Baby said firmly. "That's all we need! After, when we exact our revenge on that fucking town, we'll be okay! _Please_!"

"Law, _please_ -dyasun!" Buffalo begged, pushing against his leg.

"Think of it this way, Law," Corazon said, settling on the bed near him. "This is strategy – all you need to do is convince him to fall in love with you, and you can – pretend, or whatever. In the end, we get our bodies back, you get to turn human, and we can wreak havoc on those sons of bitches that did this to us!"

"I guess so," Law muttered, sitting up as he gave them a thoughtful expression. They _did_ make sense, and he knew he wasn't going to succeed with 'approachability', anyway. Despite their headbutting, both of them _could_ talk together. He wasn't sure about actually 'falling in love' because he hadn't seen an example for himself, but he was quite positive that it could be faked. "After all these years, I can definitely convince myself that I'm in love, only because of the newness of the concept. And he seems pretty lonely, like a little attention will go a long way."

"It can work if you just be _nice_ to him," Corazon said firmly. "All we need to do is isolate him for ourselves in order to make this work. Baby, I need you and Jora to find all the romance drivel you guys have and bring it to Law so he can study it. Then we'll come up with a plan with the others to do something about that guy."

"We can do that!" Baby and Buffalo said, cheered.

"I'll let Doffy know your plans. He's going to be so proud of you," Corazon said, voice rising with his own pride.

"We're going to be human again!" Baby squealed as she and Buffalo hopped off the bed, moving hastily for the door.


	7. Tea

The next morning, Law noticed that Sanji was tense, mouth held tightly as he walked into the veranda just within the castle's quad; the small area was overgrown, gardens gone to waste, overruled by wildflowers and shrubbery, but it also was a nice place to go out and enjoy the weather, safe from the hunters that prowled the area. It was overcast, thunder rumbling lightly in the distance, with the smell of rain in the air. When Vergo left Sanji to go to Law on his own, Sanji sat down gingerly on one of the stone benches nearest him.

"What would you like to do today?" he asked forcefully, as if it took effort to speak.

Law gave him a puzzled look, but he was nervous, too. He'd spent most of the night studying the novels Jora and Baby coveted, and absolutely _knew_ he'd fail at everything they told him he needed to do in order to win Sanji's love. He swallowed tightly, mind going blank as Sanji waited. The teen looked as if he'd spent the night awake as well, and there was something different about his composure that had Law asked cautiously, "What's wrong?"

Sanji swallowed tightly before answering, "Nothing. Would you like to try conversations, again?"

"No."

Sanji stared at him, not offering anything else. Around them, the wildflowers rustled lightly, and an owl called from one of the towers. There was faint laughter from one of the windows, and someone cursed loudly as something dropped down a stairway. Someone screamed, but Law knew it was just Baby fighting with Buffalo again. Sanji looked unsettled, drawing his knees together with the cloak hem being held tightly in both hands as he glanced around.

Law furrowed his brow, sitting awkwardly in the overgrown grass, struggling to think of something suitable to start with. He ended up just sitting there looking at Sanji, trying to figure out what the teen was thinking as he stared sightlessly at some morning glories nearby, their vines crawling up some fallen branches and nearby shrubbery. Law’s head raced with all sorts of conversation starters, and he grew frustrated because he knew he was thinking too much.

So he said carefully, "Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

Sanji looked at him, and gave a faint nod. "Yes. How about you? It was cold, last night, so I assumed the occupants of this castle suffered from the nip of it."

"Not entirely. It doesn't bother anybody," Law said, gesturing at his fur. "My temperature runs hot, so summer is more uncomfortable."

Sanji looked him over, fiddling with the cloak hem once more. "Which one of the boys in the hall was you?"

Law wrinkled his nose, but he answered, "The last one."

Sanji thought of the gangly limbed boy with a sullen frown, scowling at the painter. He ended up not saying anything in response, and Law looked at him again, unable to understand this tense, stubborn silence. It was almost as if it were impossible for the guy to say anything – and those eyes kept coursing over the clouds in the sky, moving slowly, the smell of rain growing stronger.

Sanji swallowed again. "So, I said 'no', last night. It didn't work for me as well as it did for you."

"To the wedding?"

Sanji found interest in one of the sunflowers standing nearby, a stalk with multiple heads. He said, "But I see what you're saying. When you had freedom, it was probably very nice, wasn't it?"

"Doffy let us wander as we pleased," Law said with a shrug. "We didn't stay inside the castle that much. And there was always a family member close to us, but just to…watch over us. For example, if someone had a complaint over our behavior, or felt offensed with our childish shenanigans, they would step in on our defense if necessary."

"What kind of 'shenanigans'?" Sanji asked tonelessly. "I don't have much memory of doing these things as a child."

"Well, uh…competitions. Exploring. Teasing the locals. Such ninnies."

Sanji looked thoughtful for those moments. "Hmm."

"It was a lot more fun back then than what I'm describing it," Law said, giving another shrug. "Perhaps to say, we were spoiled rotten back then, and got away with everything. And why not?"

"What about your parents? Where were they?"

"I don't know," Law muttered, shoulders slumping lightly. "My entire town burned down. We were separated. I don't know if they're still alive."

"That's terrible," Sanji murmured with sympathy. "Siblings?"

"One. A sister. Father, mother."

"I'm sure they miss you," Sanji said with a vague smile. "If you could, would you go to them?"

"In an instant," Law said truthfully, perking up. He studied Sanji's body language, adjusting himself minutely to it so that his shoulders were slightly hunched, head down, and his own fingers fiddling loosely with something that required little to no thought. "What about yours?"

Sanji shrugged and closed up again, looking down at his hands. He said nothing, and Law looked at him with extreme frustration. With Sanji's head bent as it was, he did not see Law rising up with irritated hands to the sky, a silent curse leaving his mouth before he quickly resettled back into position as Sanji's head lifted again.

"Tell me about them," Sanji said, exhaling shortly. He had returned to looking stiff again, paling for an unknown reason.

Law looked at him with narrowed eyes, "Why do you look like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like you're holding something inside."

Sanji tightened his lips, exhaling once more through his nose. After some moments of complete silence, he muttered, "Ussop's missing. That stupid hunter, Zoro, took off with him. No one's seen them since. Zoro had come in after I'd left one day, and…he had something to show, so Ussop went with him, and…I don't understand why he would when we'd had so much conflict with him."

"I'm sure he's fine," Law said.

"All I can think that it must've been…pretty big for Ussop to run off with him," Sanji murmured. "Like I said yesterday, he's my friend, and I trust him. So what did Zoro find that he needed to show me?"

"You think it's related to you?"

"Zoro isn't shy about his affections," Sanji said drolly. "He's tried very hard to win my favor."

Law frowned, then scowled. "He hasn't been successful because you're with Rayleigh."

"It doesn't stop him."

Law scowled harder. "Is this guy handsome?"

"Are you interested?" Sanji asked, smiling slightly.

" _NO_!" Law exclaimed.

Sanji chuckled slightly, but the smile died just as soon as it appeared. "He's only after your head, anyway."

As he looked down once more, Law struggled to come up with something appropriate for his goal, all the words caught in his throat. There was too much, there was too little, nothing seemed right. Finally, with a growl, he said, "You look nice today!"

Sanji looked at him with surprise, then doubt, and Law felt himself flush. But he doubted any sort of blushing could happen – almost every part of him was covered in fur. Then Sanji looked embarrassed for himself, flushing.

" _Oh_! Oh, um, _thank you_ , sir," he said hastily, utterly red. Law stared him with fascination, unsure of what just happened, but that this teen was rocked off that boat he'd been standing so firmly in, and he was flailing. "That's – that's a good touch. Caught me off guard, there."

Pleased, Law bared his teeth in a grin. Sanji gave them a skeptical look, drawing back slightly.

"Keep up those compliments, you're _sure_ to be successful!" he said, amused by Law's expression.

"It feels good to be complimented on looks, or talent, or…?"

"On everything. Even if it's something little, like…" Sanji furrowed his brow, searching the ground for an example, and said, "maybe a thoughtful habit for someone else, or for recommending good information, or…"

"What would _you_ like to hear?" Law asked curiously, looking at him intently.

Sanji gave him a startled look, then looked back up at the sky. "Mmm, well, I like being complimented on my cooking. It makes me feel good to know that people enjoy my creations. Food is a good way to the heart, Zeff said."

"Does Rayleigh compliment you on these things?"

Sanji shut down again, and Law exhaled with impatience. Picking at his fingers, Sanji mumbled, "I don't want to talk about him, anymore."

"If you feel nothing for this person, then run away!" Law said with exasperation. "No one's making you marry him! In fact, all you need is a pack for travel and a destination. Do you have one in mind?"

"…No."

"It's not like you have anything holding you here, right?"

"…Ussop. Ussop, he's…"

"If he's a good friend, he'd encourage you to run, too, right?"

Sanji nodded after a few moments, making eye contact with him. For the first time in awhile, he felt something different in him at the concept. It showed on his face. "Yes."

"You could move here," Law suggested, remembering that he wasn't supposed to be encouraging Sanji to run away. "I like your cooking."

"Wouldn't it defeat the purpose of 'running away'?"

"It's only for a year, Sanji. Depending on the outcome of this nonsense, you'd either be looking upon our corpses or…seeing us in human form, again."

Sanji looked him over, then said, "But that'd generate interest in the town, seeing activity up here. Rayleigh would think that…"

"Unless we stage an accident," Law said quickly. "I've caused a couple of mud slides in the mountains while I was out hunting – it's fairly easy to do."

Sanji looked at him with interest, tilting his head. " _How_ easy?"

"Come. You can walk about."

"There's hunters outside those walls – "

"Meet me there, as fast as you can," Law said, pointing beyond the east wall, Sanji looking in that direction. He was unable to see over the walls, but he stood up from the bench, feeling a sliver of excitement in the possibility of freedom. "There, about five miles away, is a quarry. The footpath is located just above it. Because of the wildfires a year ago, the ground is very slippery and muddy, and I've caused landslides that have traveled miles because of the incline."

" _How_?" Sanji asked, bewildered.

"Because I have to stay out of sight, I take a route that takes me on the wall there, and I've slipped – but it's fairly unsturdy, so it's easy to cause a mudslide over the pit. All you'd have to do is stage your clothing in that area, - the force of the movement is so intense that it's swept away my prey and buried them underneath tons of mud and rock."

Sanji considered the possibilities. "Okay. I'll meet you there. I just need…it shouldn't take that long."

"Really? And then you'll live here?" Law asked hopefully, unable to believe it was that easy.

"Until Ussop returns. Meanwhile…you don't have to look for Zeff, anymore," Sanji said heavily. When he looked away again, his expression was grim. "He made his decision."

" _Yes_!" Law exclaimed cheerfully with an armpump, then retracted it quickly, thinking he just gave his intentions away. Sanji furrowed his brow, facing him. "I mean…It's a step."

"Why are you helping me?" Sanji asked curiously.

"Because you're helping me. And, uh…so you can cook for me. Because I like your cooking. It is very delicious."

Sanji snorted at the stiff way Law delivered the compliment, hearing the effort put into it that made him doubt it was a truth. But he was flattered for the other efforts. He then looked up at the clouds above. "Well, I better get a move on. To the quarry…?"

"Correct."

Sanji nodded, then headed towards the veranda to see his way out of the castle, and Law looked around himself with excitement. Once he spied Corazon, Doflamingo and Vergo spying on them from one of the tower windows, he extended a thumbs up in their direction. Their bodies danced around with glee.

: :

Later that afternoon, Sanji came up to the quarry that Law had mentioned. The entire area looked unsettling. The hills were sparse of vegetation, thanks to the wildfire that had cleared this side of the area, burning down trees and years of undergrowth. He could see that the hillside was comprised of mud and loose rock – slanted at such a sharp incline that he could see how it could be easy to start a slide. From the looks of it, the area had already been glossed over – there was mud and rocks spilled thickly over the path and into the quarry below, where it looked like a river. The hillside had shifted what was left of trees so that they were already halfway down to the footpath. There were signs warning travelers to take extra caution during rain, along with a skull and crossbones.

With his hood on, Sanji scanned the hillside again, wondering how Law had done it. He then heard movement in the trees above his head, and ventured off the path to somehow meet him. It was a steep climb – he was on his hands and knees to do it. By the time he got up there, he was breathing heavily as Law remained safely in the trees, surveying the quarry.

"You don't get out much, do you?" Law asked him, Sanji struggling for breath. He leaned over and sniffed him. "Plus, you smoke?"

"One a day," Sanji huffed, holding his chest as he straightened up. "Half here, half there. Until my wedding day."

He looked down at the vulnerable areas of the incline, then looked at Law. The Beast stood there, ominously large and tall, looking like some forest monster. He had brambles on his mane, leaves in his hair. Seeing him in the dark in the woods would give anybody a heart attack, Sanji supposed. But he pictured the boy's portrait in the Great Hall, trying to see him in place of this ghastly thing.

"So, can you do it?"

"Yes. See those trees there?"

Sanji saw the few trees that had shifted from their original position halfway up the hill to just below – slanted at a dangerous angle.

"Their roots are still attached, that's why it's leaning so precariously. I snap the roots while it rains and _bam_! Down it goes."

Sanji chewed on his bottom lip then inhaled deeply, lowering his hand to his side. It looked possible…the landslide would flow over the pit, collect there before running off through the narrow walls for some distance. His heart raced with hope at the thought of escaping Rayleigh's intentions.

"I can push your clothes into the slide, make sure something of yours is identified. It'll carry down into the pit. They'd just assumed you were killed and buried."

"But I'd need a good excuse to come out this way."

"We can pretend that Zeff called you up here," Law said hastily.

Sanji exhaled again. He felt such excitement in the possibility that hope became a huge weight in him. He smiled up at him. "And you're confident it'll work?"

"Yes."

Sanji looked over the quarry once more, chewing on his bottom lip.

"Why not just tell him you don't want to get married?" Law asked.

Sanji exhaled low. "I _can't_ tell him 'no'. Somehow, I just agree to whatever he said. Anything he suggests. I thought it was my duty not to disobey, but after talking to you yesterday, I realized that it had to be something more than that. It's wrong…"

"Like a sort of magic?" Law asked curiously, sitting on his haunches. "People s _omehow_ can't disobey Doffy, either."

Sanji shrugged. "I don't know."

"Even being away from him?"

"He only has to give a command, and I follow."

"Then, listen. Tomorrow, the ground will be wet and easy for me to rupture. I will send a message to your door – if Ussop hasn't returned, it will be from him, or if he shows up, then it'll be from Zeff, and he needs you to meet him here at the quarry for assistance," Law said, Sanji nodding. "Bring an extra set of clothes, tightly folded and loaded into a small food pack, so you can change into those after. Then, we will stage it. There will be others from the castle watching out for Ussop, and they will warn him that you are safe, and include an accompanying story to go with it."

Sanji stared up at him wondrously, processing this plan and finding it acceptable. "You're pretty devious."

Law looked proud of himself at that moment, sitting up straight. "We got in trouble a lot, as children, so Baby and Buffalo and I would come up with many crafty things as to why we did the things that we did."

Sanji thought of cook's words, how the Donquixote kids lied to get people in trouble. "That's not something to be proud of. That sounds like a good plan. Shitty, but good."

Law studied him for a few moments, noticing how much sunnier Sanji seemed at this moment. That earlier tension had melted away, and he looked a little hopeful. It made him feel weird, a tickle in his stomach as he realized _he_ was the cause of this change.

"You'd better go home, for the day, if he notices that much of you," he said gruffly.

"I'll be ready," Sanji assured him.

"Then you'll stay with us?"

"Yes. Until Ussop can be found."

Law figured they would deal with that when it happened, and nodded. Thunder boomed over head, rain falling softly. With careful action, Sanji made his way down the hill. Law watched him go, then looked back at the hillside. He was positive he could pull it off.

: :

By the time Sanji made it back to town, he was soaked. He saw that the house was empty, and quickly selected some clothes, rolling them tightly and packing them into a small bag that he then threw into a cupboard below the pantry, where a mess of them sat. He hung his cloak up near the fireplace to dry off, then changed into clean clothes. He looked around the house, trying to think of any valuables that he'd take, but he and Zeff never kept much. Saddened that things had happened in this way, he sat at one of the chairs belonging to a small oak table, staring at the various pieces of furniture around him. He was startled when Rayleigh came in, looking at him sharply.

Sanji wondered what it was that made feel so wrong about the man. Not only was it the very concept of getting married to the guy, but there was also a sense of wrongness to every moment he spent in his company. He truly felt unable to say 'no' or determine his own judgment, make his own decision.

"Where were you?" Rayleigh asked him, removing his wet cloak and setting that near the fireplace to dry it.

"Looking for Ussop, sir," Sanji replied. He could feel himself tensing up, and slid his hands into his pockets, feeling his shoulders hunching under that sharp gaze. "He's still missing. Unless you've heard anything – "

"Just that some boneheaded hunter took him through town, twice," Rayleigh said, removing his glasses to clean them. "Cook had no answer as to what this Zoro needed to show him, so intently."

"It doesn't make sense for Ussop to go with him. That's what puzzles me."

"Meanwhile, the tavern is closed, losing business. With all this rain, it's pointless searching. You're going to fall ill, or get hurt in some mudslide."

Sanji felt it – it was a slip of feeling, like someone drawing a cover over his thoughts and feelings. Somehow, Ussop's plight didn't matter – he was grown, he knew what he was doing when he went with Zoro. The tavern's inactivity was also more concerning, the thought of Zeff's hard work going to waste coming to mind.

He nodded, feeling that wrongness in his chest, again. "He'll come back when he's ready," he said monotonously.

"You don't want to disappoint Zeff, do you? Running off like this, forcing cook out of pay, starving those hungry guys storming the castle walls?"

"No. But it shouldn't matter to Zeff, sir, if he's gone," Sanji muttered.

"But the memory will live on, and you're a good boy, you don't want that going to waste," Rayleigh said, removing his weapons belt and setting that aside. He walked over to Sanji, and cupped his face between his hands. "Stop worrying. I'm sure that boy and his friend are fine. He _did_ know you're going to be married Saturday, right?"

"Yes."

"He'll be back before then, I promise. He's a very good friend," Rayleigh said to him, before ruffling his hair. "He wouldn't let you down. So keep working, okay? How is cook handling without you?"

"I'm not sure. I…"

"Sanji, I need to ask you something, and I need you to be very truthful with me," Rayleigh then said, crouching in front of him, placing his hands on his knees. He rubbed Sanji's legs that way, and Sanji felt his skin crawl, but he couldn't seem to make himself look away from the older man. "Are you unhappy with this marriage?"

"Yes," Sanji answered, feeling his brow furrow.

With a frown, Rayleigh said, "I understand that there is a large age difference between us, but it doesn't matter to me. From the moment I saw you, I knew you were something special. And you are – you're a good boy, you listen and follow with instruction, you tend to your duties quite well, and you're not caught up in this nonsense that most your age is. You're very mature for your age, and you're capable of many things. Zeff had very high hopes for you, and wanted to see you continue. I assured him that I would lead you down this path myself, and take very good care of you."

For a few moments, he said nothing, but then he asked Sanji, "What has changed your mind about our marriage? You were fine with it just a day ago."

Sanji felt so odd. Every part of him wanted to answer this truthfully, but he couldn't do it. His fists balled tightly with the effort to keep himself from blurting out his answer.

Rayleigh's eyes narrowed. "Why is your heart racing so fast? You're questioning yourself. That's unusual."

Sanji felt a sliver of fear in him. He felt slightly dizzy, sound muffled, but he only thought that it was identifying his own sensation of newly discovered rebelliousness.

"I just feel…unsure,sir," he said, choosing his words carefully. "Because…I'm having trouble accepting that, at your age, you saw differently for me when Zeff and I came into your life. I can't help but wonder why you chose to pay attention to me in such a way I wasn't prepared, for."

"Because you were such a good boy. Obedient, loyal, hard working. You did everything and then some, that Zeff asked of you. I admired that. That sort of duty is very valuable, and for me to find it in you – I knew I had to have you."

"But I'm not ready for this."

"No one truly is, but you'll do fine if you just follow my instructions," Rayleigh said with confidence. "Which I am positive that you will. There is no one else for you but me, Sanji. Zeff entrusted you to my hands."

"But in _this_ manner?" Sanji asked uncomfortably, as one of Rayleigh's hands moved up the inside of his thigh. He reached down to place a hand atop of his and stopped its ascent.

"This is the second time you've told me 'no'," Rayleigh pointed out, withdrawing his hand. "I understand that it's all new for you, but this is my right as your husband – "

"You're not my husband," Sanji said firmly. Then added in a quiet voice, "Not yet, sir."

Rising to stand, perplexed that Sanji actually spoke up against him, Rayleigh frowned. He took in the sight of his bowed head, the teen's hunched shoulders and defiant expression. "When you are out searching for Ussop, are you really doing so? Or are you running off with someone else?"

Sanji shook his head, looking away. He felt compelled to answer truthfully, words building up in his throat. But he thought of the way the Beast’s voice changed when he was happy, or that vicious teeth bearing grin he had when Law was satisfied. Somehow, those images made it easy for Sanji to repress the answer he wanted to give. Sanji exhaled slow, watching as Rayleigh looked away from him. He saw Sanji's cloak hanging up near the fireplace, and walked over to it, saying nothing. Sanji watched nervously while Rayleigh looked at it, then scraped something off the material with his fingers before examining it. Unsure of what he was doing, Sanji tightened his fingers on his trousers before Rayleigh returned to him, examining what he had.

"This isn't horse hair," Rayleigh muttered, crouching in front of him to show him what he'd found. It was a small tuft of fur, and Sanji couldn't think of what he'd done to pick it up when he had no contact – then he thought about the morning before, when he was seated on the couch. "Where were you walking that caused you to gather these odd clumps of hair? It's not a llama's, or a pig's…"

"In the woods, of course," Sanji answered sullenly. "Where Ussop was last seen. I don't know where I ran into that."

"Look at me when you answer. Don't talk to the floor."

"I'm sorry, sir."

Rayleigh examined the tuft once more, then let it drop. Saying nothing, he crossed the floor to the kitchen, looking calm and relaxed. Sanji watched him cautiously, unsure of what to expect. But as Rayleigh placed a teapot with water near the fire, setting out a couple of cups near them, Sanji felt himself tensing as the quiet extended.

It wasn't until Rayleigh served him a hot cup of tea, minutes later, that the man smiled gently at him.

"I apologize for the entirety of this," he said, blowing on his cup as Sanji held his within both hands, allowing it to warm them. "In retrospect, it was rather rushed that this happened. I pushed things too far. Of course you're frightened, nervous. But my intentions are good. Zeff took care of you until now, and it's my turn. Tell me, Sanji, did you lay with him as you do with me?"

"No, sir," Sanji answered, aghast at the mention of the subject.

"Then, of course it's going to seem frightening, sharing your body with another person. It's yours. Only you know what to do with it. But once we're married, it's not going to be yours, anymore. It'll belong to me. All I'm doing is preparing you for what will happen on a weekly basis. It's my right."

"I shouldn't be considered property – "

"If Zeff thought anything more of you, he wouldn't have traded you for a horse," Rayleigh stated flatly. "Maybe he didn't refer to you as his property, but you did his work. You worked for meals, for a warm place to stay. You weren't allowed to be a child, weren't you? When was the last time you played with kids your own age? Skinned a knee playing tag?"

Sanji said nothing because most of his life with Zeff consisted of helping the man move from place to place, cooking. So it felt like Rayleigh was right. He sipped at his tea, feeling a weight in his chest. The brew was a pleasant warmth on his tongue – not hot, but warm enough to appreciate. He took another drink, sure he tasted lavender, rosehips and citrus. The tartness of the mixture made his tongue tingle, and he liked the smell of it. The bloodred water caught the vague light from the outside, the warmth of the fire nearby.

Rayleigh reached over and ruffled his hair lightly, smiling at him. "Maybe after this, you'll be allowed to play. I've been thinking of returning home, to the south. There, you won't have to work so hard, but you will be kept busy. That way, you'll become accustomed to a better life."

Sanji wasn't sure what that meant, but he finished his tea, and Rayleigh took the cup, and gave him his. He held it within both hands as the man rose away from him, and refilled the cup.

"I'm sure it's difficult to accept now, but you'll learn," Rayleigh said, Sanji sipping at the tea cautiously, watching him. "This is your life, now. It's only scary at first because you've yet to experience anything else. But I assure you, it's well worth it in the end. Tell me, Sanji, what were you expecting of me?"

"Understanding," Sanji replied, lowering the cup to his side.

"Did you eat today?"

"Just…a piece of bread."

Rayleigh nodded. "I'll make us something to eat. I'm sure you're starving."

Sanji realized that, after the events of last night, he hadn't eaten too much, so maybe that explained the heavy feeling in the pit of his being. He felt tired, but he only assumed it was because of the hike he'd taken, today. He lifted the cup up to his lips, focused on separating the tastes that slipped over his tongue. The citrus really stood out, and it made him salivate, the warmth of the brew settling in his empty stomach, and he made to set the cup down when he missed the floor, somehow, the cup falling from his grasp and splashing over the wood.

"Oh, shit, sorry, sir, just really clumsy," he muttered, standing up to reach for his apron, and missing that as well. Once he stumbled over the chair, he heard Rayleigh chuckling.

"Today must've taken too much out of you," he said lightly, closing up a small box, setting that aside as Sanji squinted at him, wondering what was wrong with him. He caught onto the chair, stumbled over it instead, and hit the floor on his knees.

"C'mon, to bed with you," Rayleigh said, appearing suddenly at his back and hauling him to his feet. Sanji wanted to fight him, to curse him, but nothing moved right. it was easy for the bigger man to pull him to bed, laying him over the blankets. He removed his trousers and socks, then laid a blanket from the foot of the bed over him. "I think you were worrying yourself unnecessarily. This is to calm your nerves, help you stop being so anxious. Ussop will be fine. _You_ will be fine. There's no need for these hysterical fits. I'll take care of you. Is this in any way unclear?"

Sanji couldn't answer, trying hard to form a coherent sound, but the man just leaned over and kissed his forehead with affection, brushing his hair back from his face. All Sanji thought about at that moment was that he wasn't going to make it in time for Law's plan to happen.


	8. A Passing Storm

Law paced anxiously, breathing heavily as he waiting for Sanji's arrival. The rain was coming down steadily, the ground wet and heavy with an abundance of moisture, and he was looking forward to accomplishing the task, to have Sanji live with them. He assumed that within six months, they'd have their human forms again, and he was vibrating with excitement over it. After all the reading he'd done, he was quite positive getting someone to fall in love with him and falling in love with them would be easy. After all, love was just a bunch of silly tasks and grand words, and he was sure Sanji would fall for them all, considering what sort of bad experience he was having, now.

All he had to do was learn what Sanji liked, what his dreams were, and heap his own encouragement and support over that. He'll say all the things the heroines expected – because he was _the man_ , naturally, so he automatically asserted himself as the hero. Sanji was the damsel in distress because he was the one being forced into a marriage, and he cooked, and did feminine things. Plus, Law had to admit, he had nice eyes. He actually wasn’t sure what color they were, considering he only saw in black and white, but Law assumed that Sanji had blue eyes due to the lightness of them.

"Hello, good afternoon," he spoke aloud to himself, pacing carefully. "It's good to see you. Oh? _Thank you_ , yes, I thought of a good plan, didn't I? Actually, it wasn't very hard, one just has to be accumulated to their surroundings to know how it works, and – my, your eyes are a vibrant shade of cerulean, today. _Yes_ , I _know_ what cerulean is, and I'm confident it is the exact shade of your eyes."

 _Easy_ , he thought with satisfaction, sitting down on his haunches.

He then looked around himself again, straining his ears. It was easy to hear people moving in the footpath, because they often dragged their feet, or breathed heavily, and horses pulling wagons could be heard from miles away. But all he heard was falling rain and occasional thunder, so he got up and continued practicing.

"Actually, Sanji, did you know that I am able to speak four languages, as well as Latin? It was an _easy_ language to master, it's universal. No matter where in the world we go, I am positive that I can speak to the locals with my own - ? _Haah_? You want me to 'prove it'?"

Assuming a pose he’d seen Sanji do, Law said in a high falsetto, "I just don't believe you, because I'm in a kitchen all day, and I know absolutely nothing!"

Law then reverted back to his own posturing, huffing before bellowing out, "FINE!"

Then he paused with his paws over his mouth as he remembered belatedly he was supposed to be in hiding. After determining his own safety in the quiet and stillness around him, Law cleared his throat. He was positive that love interests didn't want to be mocked, and if Sanji heard him 'mocking' him in some way, Sanji would probably kick him or yell at him, and Law would have to try harder to gain his favor.

He growled at the thought of overexerting himself, then heard it – the far off cracking sound of something banging off a tree. He stood straight up, feeling a slight edge of alarm as the sound stopped. Moments later it started up again, and it spelled out trouble. He quickly raced through the wet brush and crowded undergrowth, careful where he placed his feet. It wasn't a good sign if Machvise was signaling for him to return to the castle; with their eyes on the town, it meant Sanji was in trouble.

Law wondered what it could be, puzzled – maybe Rayleigh suspected that Sanji had been plotting to leave. It only made sense. So, the old man was a rival – he wanted to make this difficult. Well, Law knew how to handle rivals – he’d had plenty in the kids in town, and he always made sure they regretted their actions in trying him. With a low growl, he headed towards the castle.

Once he got there, Law caught sight of Vergo taking position near a grove of trees just a mile from the castle, where, about fifty feet to their right, was the footpath Sanji was supposed to take. Vergo stood there with some cups and spice shakers, all of whom danced with agitation.

"We received word that Rayleigh is acting strangely," Vergo announced stiffly. "He has been seen asking certain questions as to Sanji's whereabouts during the day. Sanji himself has been sleeping most of the day with no apparent desire to wake up. We are thinking of sending an attacking strike force in to investigate."

Law blinked heavily, sitting low in the underbrush so that if there were any hunters lingering around the castle's east side, they'd have a hard time seeing him. "But he knew we were going to do this. Why sleep all day?"

"It's not a natural sleep!" one of the cups insisted. "Rayleigh was brewing unusual tea, and he keeps giving it to him!"

"A dastardly fellow," Vergo muttered.

"He needs to be rescued?" Law asked curiously. He then brightened. "That could be part of the plan, as well!"

"Ah, good thinking! I was thinking that Rayleigh was only doing so because it is raining so terribly, Sanji might catch cold for their wedding. Your theory sounds much better."

"…You just said that he suspected –"

"Ah, yes, I did say that, as well."

Law looked at the cups, trying not to be confused. "Signal to everyone. We'll make our move at night, when everyone's asleep. That way, I go into town, get him, and get out without raising any sort of ruckus."

"Good idea! If only I had thought of it myself, then perhaps I’d be married to a princess as well."

Law blinked, unsure of what to say as Virgo grew agitated over his own musing. Deciding not to waste time, Law then said, "Vergo, I'll need a good plan to have Rayleigh out of their house."

"I've got a few. Meanwhile, we've seen campfires in the mountains north east of here," Vergo reported, Law looking in that direction. "We've overheard Sanji talking about his friends, it might be them."

"They're in view of the town, let them find their way back. We have to focus on Sanji and Rayleigh. If that old fart is as diabolical as Doflamingo claims, than we have to come up with a better plan on allowing him to think that...I got it! We shall leave a series of clues!" Law said, fist in palm. "One of Baby's books detailed how a lover spirited away his lass by leading her family to think she'd run off with a man from the north, but wound up moving west and living happily ever after – maybe we can leave false clues for Rayleigh to find that leads him out to another area. In the time that he spends looking for Sanji in the days afterward, months will have passed, and Sanji will have already fallen for me, and we can kill him once we have our human forms back!"

" _Fantastic_! I will instruct the others to start an elaborate story," Vergo said, hopping away.

Law thought the plan was perfect. He beamed with pride at having thought of it himself. He then headed back to the castle, constructing the ensuing conversation he was most likely going to have with Sanji once he 'rescued' him from Rayleigh's sadistic clutches.

That night, the village was dark, with barely a flame visible. Farm animals called out sadly, rain still falling, and the group of them advanced towards the town. There were hunters taking shelter in the enchanted forest, but with all the rain falling and with how concentrated the group was, none of them were aware that the family had slipped past. Law made his way carefully through the throng, sticking closely to shadows and tall obstacles he could hide behind, and reached the edge of town in no time. He climbed the nearest building, and jumped from one roof to the other, startled at how slippery the tiles were. He usually used this route whenever he made his way through town, but never while it was raining. He looked down to the streets and watched small movement from household items that used the rain as cover for themselves.

Once Vergo pointed out the house that Sanji stayed in, Law made his way over. His feet slipped a few times, scraping down the tiles with his weight carrying him harshly off balance, but he managed to continue climbing and jumping until he reached the one story house with a simple floorplan. He looked it over, the windows closed tightly, but the fireplace chimney emitting fragrant smoke and heat. Law then waited for someone to give the signal.

He ducked low as the backdoor opened, and Rayleigh himself peered out. He was pulling on a cloak, looking puzzled until he looked down and saw the tin holding the note that Law and Baby had written. There was a rose next to it, and the old man stared down at it for a few moments before crouching to grab them. Tapping his claws against the tile with anticipation, Law watched as Rayleigh opened the tin and read the note inside. Rayleigh frowned at the darkness, and retreated back inside.

'My love, when he sleeps, visit me near the wishing well for one more night before your wedding,' Baby had dictated dramatically as Law wrote carefully. He wondered why he wasn't taking any lessons from her – she seemed to have a pretty good grasp on love.

Sure enough, moments later, Rayleigh left the house from the front, pulling on his hood and enduring the hard rain. Law quickly jumped from the roof of the house and pushed his way inside, the others already clamoring around him with judgement voices. Vergo grabbed Sanji's cloak while Law looked over the teen with apprehension, seeing that he was sleeping deeply in the single bed. He looked over at the hot cup of tea near the bed stand, and it smelled of something flowery, and thick.

"Whatever it is, it's not good," Jora said, squeezing herself into the window to keep watch as the others hastily found Sanji's boots and grabbed various odds and ends from the clothes shelf nearby. They took off in a haste, and Law yanked the blankets back, pulling Sanji to him. He wrapped him up in a blanket, then used the ties he'd had to form a sling with them – it allowed him to carry the teen across his chest and mid-section, and it freed up his arms and legs to he could move through the darkness easier.

A stash of 'secret notes' were shoved into Sanji's clothes, as if Sanji had hidden them there, but would be conveniently found by Rayleigh. They were from a sailor living in a town over, who had plans on seeing Sanji for a few more visits before ultimately letting him go to Rayleigh – Baby had poured her heart and soul into the fantasy, so Law thought that the old man would take them seriously, and inspire Rayleigh to go visit this sailor in person.

"He _would_ do it, too!" Doflamingo had commented, as Jora read the finished notes aloud to the other members of the group. Most of whom critiqued and booed, causing Baby to yell back at them. "He'd made sure there were no more loose ends!"

Law quickly fluffed up the pillows and stashed them underneath the blankets as everyone hurried out the front door. He took the back door out, and carefully climbed up to the roof, finding it a little difficult to move freely as Sanji's weight made him a little unsturdy.

"Ugh, this is harder than I thought," he complained, pulling himself up and settling there, adjusting Sanji to fit against him. He made sure the sling was tight, pulling the blanket over the teen's face. As he made to leap for the rooftop nearby, instinct screamed at him. He turned and snatched the arrow out of mid-air, straining his eyes to see where it had come from.

There were two men standing on the street over, one running around in panicked circles, the other reloading his bow with a wide grin.

" _Shit_ ," Law muttered, tensing as three arrows shot through the pouring rain towards him. He crushed those with a fist then turned, jumped up onto the other roof, and began bounding his way over them, hearing the hunter give chase. Another arrow narrowly missed his snout, and he turned quickly, jumping onto another rooftop, but his feet lost contact and he slipped. He scratched frantically at the wet tiles, but his claws lost grip, and he fell to the street below. Hastily, he turned and hit on his back in a splay of limbs, wind knocked out of him. He quickly rolled to his feet, adjusted Sanji once more, and spotted the hunter rounding the corner of the street to see him.

"BEAST!" the hunter bellowed, and some candles flickered to life in some nearby windows.

" _Shit_!" Law exclaimed, bounding off towards a narrow alleyway, hearing the hunter run after him.

"SANJI!" someone shrieked in true panic, coming from far behind. " _IT'S GOT SANJI_!"

"BEAST! HALT!"

"Like Hell!" Law muttered, taking a quick dash up and over a stone wall, dropping down onto a sloping incline that would take him through the center of town. He crawled up a house's outhouse and leapt atop of the roof, and began moving in that fashion, headed for the north. He figured once he made it to the woods, he'd be safe – he'd lose the hunter in the trees. Arrows whooshed by him, and something bright narrowly tagged him in the leg. He yelped, leapt sideways, and lost his footing on the slick tile. He went crashing down onto the street once more, landing on his side.

Sanji uttered a long noise, Law quickly jumping to his feet, arm over him as that bright thing fell in front of him. Seeing that it was an arrowhead doused with oil and fire made him fret. Surely the hunter wouldn't endanger others in this fashion. He hastily turned and began running, using an arm to do so while he kept the other over Sanji. Breathing heavily, he spotted his freedom of the northern stone wall, and made to leap over it when someone bellowed, "STOP!"

The voice was different, and Law paused and turned because he was only curious as to who would command him in such a way. Once he saw that it was Rayleigh, he growled, teeth showing. Captured under pelting rain and heavy shadows, the Beast resembled a terrifying creature when approached. His eyes seemed to glow as he blinked, his heavy breath causing his massive body to heave. Despite his appearance, Law saw that t he old man was carrying an oil-lit torch, and was walking towards him with a determined expression. Wary, Law scanned him for any sign of a weapon, then paced restlessly because, for some reason, the old man had his full and complete attention.

"Put him down, _now_ ," Rayleigh ordered, coming to a pause just feet away. "It is cold, wet, and he could catch a severe illness in this excitement. Do you want that? _Beast_."

Law knew that he didn't. They didn't have any doctors at the castle, and – he shook his head, causing water from his mane to fly as he continued to pace. Why did his head feel so numb? He caught sight of movement from his left, and looked to see the hunter catching sight of him, reloading his bow – but then he jumped back into the shadows at the sight of Rayleigh, pulling back his partner as he, too, whipped into view.

Their reactions made Law curious, and he looked back at Rayleigh, breathing heavily. Rayleigh was frowning at him, and beyond him, there was light growing as the villagers grew concerned with the activity outside.

"Release him. _Now_. Return back to the forest where you belong. You don't belong here with these people," Rayleigh said firmly.

Law knew he didn't. Even as a child he knew he didn't belong there. They'd tried to sell him, after all, and even after that, he and the others were treated with scorn. He inhaled deeply, shaking his head.

" _No_ ," Law refused, moving backwards. "You can't tell me what to do, old man."

"You'll listen well to your elders, boy."

"DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!"

"DROP HIM, _RIGHT NOW_!"

Law felt himself sit down, stunned by the heavy feeling in his head. He looked down at the sling that he had tight around him, and searched for the knot. Rain fell heavily around them, causing small streams to rush by, carrying bits of debris and hay. Human voices in the distance alerted him to incoming trouble, and a dog began to bark. But Rayleigh did not look away from him.

"Do it, _now_ ," Rayleigh repeated, and Law fumbled with the knot, unsure of why he felt he had to obey the old man when he really shouldn't. This man shouldn't be telling him what to do, and it confused him why he was even listening to him.

As he did so, he felt movement against his chest. A small tug on his fur. He paused in searching, tilting his head to look down. Sanji's fingers were holding onto him tightly, a seeming expression of refusal on his face. But he wasn't fully awake, yet. Moments passed as Law considered his actions, his rising refusal to obey.

"RELEASE HIM, _NOW_!"

"DON'T DO IT! HE HELD ZEFF CAPTIVE!"

Rayleigh's head jerked around at that voice, Law's head jerking up once he saw the guy emerge from the shadows, the hunter snarling at him to shut up. At once, he could think clearly. He removed his claws from the sling, twisting back up to his feet. Without much thought, he kicked Rayleigh away from him, then turned and climbed up the stone wall with haste. Once Rayleigh caught himself, he then looked down the street. But both men were gone, and the villagers were running towards him with axes, machetes, and oil lit torches.

Rayleigh exhaled low as he looked at the wall once more, then turned to the face the others. "Damn," he muttered.

: :

Back at the castle, Corazon and the others had the fire going in the family room, and Pica shifted closer to it as Law carefully deposited Sanji onto it. Law then shook off the rain and cold, rolling over the carpet to dry himself off, knocking over various items and tables. Baby chased after him, sweeping frantically to keep his wet fur from sticking into the carpet.

"This has been a surprising success!" Doflamingo exclaimed, standing on an armrest. "Good job, team!"

"Rayleigh will be _furious_ once he realizes that he's been had," Corazon commented lightly, looking over Sanji curiously. He used his handle to nudge at him. "Hello?"

"Whatever that stuff was, it was strong," Law said while lying on his back, facing towards the fire with a sigh of relief. "It smelled like flowers. And it made me sick."

"That old bastard!" Doflamingo growled. "Using his devilish tricks to do this to him! Forcing this child to marry! What a coward, what a fool!"

"Certainly people will find it suspicious that he's been drugged, right?" Pink asked curiously, dumping out all the clothes in his drawers over Sanji to help warm him. "When he showed up, people would wonder why he wasn't his usual harpy self."

"'Harpy!'"

"I'm sure they would! Just as they're curious to know where Zeff disappeared to!"

"Whatever happened to him, do you think?"

"I bet Rayleigh had a hand in it," Doflamingo sniffed, jumping onto Sanji's chest and walking himself over to the teen's face. He nudged him with an arm. " _Wake up_."

"I wonder if he has to pee? Who should help him, I wonder?" Baby asked, breathing heavily as she leaned over to nudge him in the chin with the tip of her broom handle.

"Baby, you have no hands! There's no way you can help him!"

"I can supervise!"

"Listen, things happened," Law said, sitting up with his back against the fire. "It's serious. I think Sanji's friends returned to town, and one of them said that Zeff was held against his will. Rayleigh was responsible."

Most of the family members gasped. Baby fainted over Pica dramatically. Pica tossed her aside.

"And it was weird! When Rayleigh spoke to me, I was compelled to listen to whatever it was he said," Law complained, tail slapping the floor. "It was really the strangest feeling."

"But you never listen - !"

"I _know_! But every word that left him, I was…I was very close to following his orders."

"That's his power," Doflamingo muttered. "That's how he works. Damn. I thought it'd lessen with his old age."

"But the main concern we have here, is that Rayleigh knows you have Sanji," Corazon said slowly. "He could say anything to have us overrun. Our plan could fail because of this."

"And that his friends know."

"…Guys, suggestions?"

"How long will it take to die after being buried alive? Asking for a friend…"

"Can someone smother me, first? I won't hate you."

"STOP!" Law shouted out with frustration. "Look, we got this far. It's not like they can do anything to us, right? No one has been able to get over the castle walls in years. They can't storm in after us. Everyone is too terrified of the enchanted forest to even get close. The hunters wipe themselves out."

"But if Rayleigh himself comes through – "

"He won't, because his deceit was found out," Law mumbled, making his way to the couch and looking over at Sanji. He reached out and pinched his nostrils shut for a few moments, waiting for Sanji to respond to him. Several objects flew at him, Baby smacking him when Sanji's face turned red, then blue.

"ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL HIM?"

"I thought he'd wake up!" Law protested. He straightened away to face the fire, basking in the warmth of it. Eyes closed, he said, "Anyway, counting on those two being Sanji's friends, they discovered Zeff somehow. And from the trust in letting me run away with him, it's definitely a strike against Rayleigh. What's important is that Rayleigh will lay low to avoid any other questions by the village people. They'll think that Sanji being carted away by me will only be an old man's tale because their marriage arrangement was too strange to be accepted."

"Ahh," most of them said with understanding, all in positions of thought. "Makes sense, makes sense!"

"But what about his friends?" Corazon asked. "What if they demand answers, as well?"

"I don't give a flying fuck about them."

"You should! _They_ could be the ones storming the castle walls!"

Law waved that away, stretching his legs out so that his feet could feel the warmth as well. "You guys handle that part. I did my part."

"You are _lazy_!" Baby snapped at him, hitting him with her bristles, and causing him to growl menacingly at her. She sidled up to Trebol, sniffling.

"I need to be more focused on winning his affections than - !"

At the low sound coming from Sanji, all of them perked to attention. The teen struggled to open his eyes, his fingers curling into the warm blankets that shifted under his grasp. Law stood up and looked over at him, all of them waiting for him to say something. Once he registered where he was, Sanji looked at all of them, then narrowed his eyes.

" _Idiots_ ," he muttered, turning his head to the side and falling back asleep.

Everyone grew outraged, shouting and throwing themselves into the air with curses and threats. Law huffed, sitting back on his haunches, arms crossed. Then he stopped Pica from throwing Sanji into the fire, forcing the couch back down.

"Listen, he only said that as 'thanks'," Law said, hands in the air. "There was no malice to it."

"How do you know?"

"I'd say the same thing! Besides if he truly was ungrateful, he'd get up and walk his ass back to Rayleigh, but since he's not – just trust me, so far, I'm the only expert on this harpy."

"'Expert' my ass!"

"Look, Doffy, it's important we know what Rayleigh's up to. Send a team out to the village and have them watch him. In the meantime, find those two guys. They're Ussop and Zoro – if they found Zeff, Sanji will want to see him."

Doflamingo thought about it, then placed is hands on his hips. "Right. You'll regret ordering me around like this, though, once I regain my human form – "

"THIS IS YOUR FAULT TO BEGIN WITH."

" _Bah_!"

Doflamingo hopped off Pica and made his way down the main hall, Trebol and Pink following him.

"Baby, find and clean out a room for him," Law then said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I already did! It's down the hall from yours!"

Law nodded. "Good. It sounds like we're in business, then."

"Hey, Law, don't you think this is _romantic_?" Baby asked, leaning over him. "You already did a romantic thing. I'm sure he'll appreciate it."

"He better!" Law huffed. "I was inconvenienced! Rained on! I could die if I caught a cold?"

"Your attitude better change when he wakes up!" Baby growled, hitting him. Then she shifted direction, leaning over his lap with a happy sigh. "When I dream about a prince rescuing me, I look forward to being treated _romantically_! A good morning kiss, total pampering in the finest clothes, and a fine meal, followed by a romantic walk in the woods, talking about our feelings and our future - !"

Law grimaced. "Ugh, that sounds like so much work…I can't think up weird lies on impulse, I'd have to plan ahead for this."

"DO IT! IT IS _ROMANTIC_ , you ass!"

"DON'T YELL AT ME!"

"NO ONE CAN SLEEP WITH YOU PEOPLE AROUND!" Sanji shouted at both of them, causing Law's fur to rise up with startled action and Baby to shriek with surprise.

"How long have you been awake?" Law asked with nervousness, head lowered in a meek gesture.

"All I heard was this annoying shouting from the edge of my dreams," Sanji muttered, resettling back into the blankets, flushed. He felt more awake than he did earlier, but his body was heavy, sluggish, and he knew when he stood he'd feel dizzy and weak. But the main thing was, he was now awake. "Can't you people talk at a normal volume?"

"Are you feeling unwell?" Law asked, looking over him with nervous action.

"I feel dizzy, and I'm sure it was because of that fucking tea," Sanji answered with effort. "I still feel really tired. And hot."

”Do you, maybe, need to pee?” Baby asked, breathing heavily. Sanji froze, his eyes swinging in her direction before realizing he was listening to a broom breathe heavily over him. He determined that this was beyond his comfort level.

“No,” he managed to say politely.

”Aw,” the broom murmured, absolutely dejected and causing Sanji another look of discomfort.

"Then maybe you should eat something," Law said, Baby rushing off to find some food.

Sanji looked up at the shadows flitting over the ceiling, registering the fire's warmth. He was quiet, thinking about what had happened, and feeling revolted over it. He looked at Law again, the Beast looking at him with his head tilted.

"How'd you know this was happening?" Sanji asked faintly.

"We had a plan, today. You didn't show up."

"It'll have to be altered," Sanji muttered.

"Did you hear? Zeff was found."

Sanji looked at him again, then sat up with effort. "Really? … _Where_?"

"Your friends found him."

Sanji's face bloomed with worry. "Ussop is back? Is he okay? Where did -?"

"They're going to find out that stuff. Right now, it's best to lay low," Law said. "Rayleigh was…made aware of things."

Sanji looked away, clutching the blanket over him with both hands. Law couldn't tell what he was thinking at that moment, but at the sound of repeated ' _Psst_! _Psst_!' he looked up. Baby was standing nearby, hissing, "Remember what we talked about!"

She made smooching noises that caused Law to snarl at her.

"Talked about what?" Sanji asked, looking in that direction, Baby disappearing into the stairway.

" _Nothing_ , nothing! Um, maybe it's best if you sit and rested awhile," Law said, getting up and walking around Pica. "After all, if you were given that tea for some hours, it's still in your system, and – "

"I've been forced into slumber for the past day. I'm done 'resting'. I need to go see Ussop."

"It's not a good idea right now. Rayleigh caught me taking off with you."

Sanji stilled. His expression suddenly changed, eyes flashing as his teeth bared in a snarl. "You _dumb ass_! How can you let him see you? If he saw you, he's going to kick your dumb ass!"

"Why are you YELLING at me when I just rescued you? You're so fucking ungrateful!"

"He has some weird control over people, he can convince the whole fucking village to storm those walls and kill you! You're so stupid! You should've just let him have me!"

Outraged, Law stood up, glaring at him. " _I'm_ 'stupid'? _You're_ stupid for falling under his control in the first place!"

"You did this to yourself!" Sanji shouted at him, throwing the blanket aside to stand up. Once he realized he was in his nightgown, he growled. The red and pink striped flannel was nearly threadbare in some areas, as he'd grown into it from Zeff's purchase years ago. He didn't feel self conscious in it, through. Not in front of a Beast and enchanted objects. There was no reason to feel that way. "I need my cloak and boots."

"You're not going anywhere! Not after what we did for you!" Law snapped at him, moving quickly to block him from leaving. "We put ourselves out there to rescue you from that pervert, and here you are, running back to him. Do you secretly love him, or what?"

" _NO_!" Sanji shouted at him, red faced. "NOT AT ALL!"

"THEN DON'T YOU DARE RUN AWAY!"

"You're so _stupid_! That entire village is going to come up here, and what are you going to do? Can you fight them all on your own? You're going to be _dead_ when they come up! He can convince them of anything!" Sanji shouted, kicking him in the hip to make him move, then made his way towards the Great Hall, most of the enchanted items in the house crying out with dismay.

Law hurried after him as the candles relit with flares of smoke and dust. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going back! I can stop him from coming up here!"

"That's so stupid! I nearly got shot tonight rescuing you!"

"You're going to get dead for doing that!"

"I'm not letting you leave!" Law growled, placing his body in front of Sanji, forcing him to a stop in mid-step. "You're not going anywhere."

"You get your big, ugly mug out of my goddamn face, or I'll kick the shit out of you!"

"You'll stay here and be grateful for what we did!"

"I think you're so fucking stupid in the head for even having the idea that you can outsmart these people! You're not a kid, anymore!"

" _I know I'm not a fucking kid_!"

Sanji kicked him aside, then hurried for the door as Law stumbled. The heavy metal and wooden lock slammed down against the doors, locking him inside. Sanji reached out for them, then jerked at the unmoving plank with curses. Growling, Law turned and raced after him, scooping him up under one arm.

"You fucking jerk! Stupid mutt! You're so stupid, you don't know what you've done! You're going to get yourselves killed!" Sanji shouted, trying to get out of his grasp. Law took a corridor down from the Great Hall, candles lighting the way hastily. "Let me GO! I can stop him!"

"We went through a lot, tonight, just to save you. _You're_ the stupid one for not recognizing our efforts. We've already done this, I'm not changing my fucking mind! You're not going back!"

"Where the fuck are you taking me?" Sanji then asked incredulously, finding it too dark to see. But with how damp and cold it was, he was pretty positive that they weren't heading into a good direction. The candles on the wall showed very little, but a long stairway down became a pit of odd smells and freezing cold.

"I'm going to put you in one of these cells until you're thankful for our efforts."

"You do that, and I swear, I will - ! Don't you put me in there! Goddamn it, I'll fucking kill you, I'll skin you alive - ! LAW! STOP!"

"You think about what you've done, tonight, you ungrateful harpy!" Law snarled, tossing him into one of the cells, Sanji catching himself with a low gasp. He turned as he watched the Beast slam shut the heavy door behind him and then left him. Outraged, Sanji lifted a foot and kicked the door out, Law pausing in mid-step once he heard it slam into the wall opposite the cell. He looked back with a startled expression, Sanji emerging from the darkness with a snarl.

" _Did you just break my door_?"

"Did _you_ think it was acceptable to lock me up? You bastard. You're going to pay for this."

Because it had never occurred to Law that someone could _kick_ their way out of a cell with metal bars enclosing them in, Law fumbled for his earlier confidence and presence, but he wound up feeling like an insecure kid. He was flabbergasted to feel this way all over again.

"Now, now, calm down, think rationally - !"

"ARE YOU TELLING ME TO CALM THE FUCK DOWN WHEN YOU TRIED LOCKING ME UP?"

"It sounded a lot better in my head!" Law said awkwardly.

"I will filet you and feed you to the fucking pigs myself!" Sanji threatened, striding up the stairs after him. Law scuttled out of reach, causing Sanji to quicken his step. "For a big dumb beast, you're a big sissy. _Come here_."

Doflamingo and Corazon stood in the Great Hall, hearing the commotion. All the shouts and screams sounded horrific until they actually paid attention to it. It was mainly breaking items, curses, shouts, and threats, and the sounds moved steadily from one level to the next. Corazon sighed heavily, shaking his mirrored head.

"We're going to _die_ , that's all there is to it," Doflamingo muttered.


	9. Ussop

The next morning, Law peeked into the room he'd finally managed to trap Sanji in. He, Vergo, Corazon, Jora and Dellinger peered around the door with caution. The room was a wreck – but the window was too high for Sanji to jump out of, being that it was the highest window in the west tower. From the window, they did see a bunch of sheets and curtains tied together, but most of the household objects had banded together from the window below to cut it halfway down.

"Is he dead?" Dellinger asked in a loud whisper, causing the others to shush him. A snort from the farthest corner of the room caught their attention, and they saw that Sanji was sitting in a chair facing them with his arms crossed, looking exhausted.

Law cleared his throat as the others nudged him. "Will you _now_ listen to reason?"

"I'm all ears."

"Listen, this was for your own good," Law said, opening the door wider so he could step in. "Storming off to the village with a hot head wasn't the smartest thing you could do."

"Yeah!" Dellinger echoed, sliding along behind him. "You big bully! You're not very nice to us! And we're being all sorts of nice to you!"

"A little appreciation and 'thanks' would be nice," Jora added.

"I understand that, now. Without you guys, I'd...so... _thank you_ ," Sanji said, rising from the chair with a huff. "Admittedly, I sat down to think about things while I plotted on burning this entire place down. Looking back, I realize I wasn't much of a match against Rayleigh. He's very manipulative, and I could have just…ruined things if I made my way to him, now. Especially after what you've said of Zeff. All I ask at this point is being able to speak to Ussop."

"Well, regarding that – we can arrange a meeting with him. _Far_ from the village," Law added carefully. "But you promised to - !"

"I remember my promise," Sanji muttered with a frown. Hands bunched at his sides, he said, "If I could just speak to Ussop, I'd be fine with things."

"It appears that Rayleigh has packed and left your house," Corazon said, jumping onto a nearby shelf. "He didn't give much of an explanation to the townspeople, but he didn't allow himself any time to do anything. Your friend, Ussop, was already telling people that Zeff had been found."

"Alive?" Sanji asked tentatively.

"Yes." Corazon paused as he looked around the room. "From what it sounds like…there isn't much sympathy from him regarding your situation. Apparently, Ussop and Zoro had spent most of this time trying to convince him to come back to speak with you personally."

Sanji looked at him with an expression of concern, then looked at Law. Law shrugged. With a grim frown, Sanji said, "I need to talk to him. If this is so, that Rayleigh is gone, please allow Ussop here."

"We can't risk it," Vergo said. "The villagers need to stay in the unknown about us, or we'll be in trouble. Law risked his life and ours by revealing himself to Rayleigh last night, and even if he returns with an army or something to redeem himself, we at least have time to prepare for that. The villagers might be a little more…overwhelming."

Sanji's lips thinned, but he nodded. "Fine. Whatever. Let's do this."

: :

Hours later he sat on a stump, chin in palm. Anxiety made his knees jiggle as he watched the animal pathway that was located near the north of the castle. All around them, the trees rustled with wildlife, birds chirping noisily. Squirrels darted about, and deer munched at underbrush nearby. He was wearing a nicely sewn shirt and some fitting trousers made out of some wool material, and his worn shoes had been replaced with some ridiculously beautiful boots that one of the household items gave to him. The sewing machines had been quite talented in just eyeing him and creating these pieces for him in literal minutes. The cloak he wore was green, allowing him to blend in with the scenery around him, and while he wasn't alone, he _felt_ alone.

Zeff wasn't coming back. Sanji's interaction with Ussop would be limited. All that would be his company would be the Donquixote family, and their screwiness was sure to mess with his head. He hoped he didn't turn out like them.

Ussop popped into view, breathing heavily. But once he saw Sanji, he brightened, hurrying the last few steps to him. "You're alive!"

"I am. Where've you been?" Sanji asked him with concern, rising up from the stump and looking him over. "What did that asshole do to you?"

"Look, I'm sorry to have to break it to you, but Zoro found Zeff on accident," Ussop said, his face darkening as his shoulders slumped. "He was living in a small shack out there – convinced that Rayleigh would kill you if he left it. So he listened to Rayleigh and had intended on living there."

" _Why_?"

"I don't think I need to answer that question," Ussop said gravely, fiddling with his gloves. "But, um…I also don't think you should visit him. Rayleigh kept him captive with that threat, but…Zeff isn't…normal."

"He was always a little gruff, and – "

"He disrespected you by saying you were a piece of property, and I don't know if that's Rayleigh's influence or just his thoughts, but…I didn't like it."

"If he's still under Rayleigh's influence, maybe I should visit him myself," Sanji muttered, feeling his brow furrow. "Maybe if he sees me, he will think differently."

Ussop reached out and touched his arm, a compassionate look to his face. "I'm your friend, Sanji. I went with Zoro that day because he needed to show you this, and I would absolutely do whatever it took to make sure you were safe and sound. But on that, you're my best friend. And as your best friend, I beg of you – _don't_ go. You won't like what you find there."

Sanji's lips tightened, but he said, "If you know me as well as you claim, then you know I have to see this for myself."

"I just don't want you hurt." Ussop looked down at his own boots, toeing the soft mud. "Look, I know you think that Zeff had always said you were mere property. That's how…that's how he thinks. Even without Rayleigh's influence. The things he said, they were cruel and…I ended up dragging Zoro out of there. Hearing him say those disgusting things, I just…I don't want you to meet him face to face, again. He is not worth your effort, or your time."

Sanji felt his jaw tighten. On one hand, he felt he should trust Ussop's words. He was confident that Ussop was looking out for him, and he believed Ussop. But another part of him just needed to hear these things from the man himself. After all, only Sanji was sure of Rayleigh's influence.

Ussop looked at him cautiously. "You're not going to return to the village, are you? I mean…where are you staying? And how…? You're friends with the Beast, now?"

Sanji looked away from him, saying, "It's complicated. But…I agreed to stay there at the castle."

"As a prisoner?"

" _No_ ," Sanji said impatiently. "I agreed to staying there for…reasons of my own. But at this moment, it's unsafe for me to come out. Rayleigh left the village, I understand."

"He did. He told the villagers that you'd run off with another man. He found these weird letters that I can't imagine you – you never mentioned."

Sanji gave him a puzzled look, then shook his head. "Just know I …it's not a situation for you to be concerned about. Believe me, whatever drivel was found, it wasn't my influence. More than likely, it was those bastards at the castle that did something stupid. Whatever, as long as it works."

Ussop frowned at him, then looked around. The forest seemed alive with its usual array of life, and the air smelled of fresh rain and soft earth. The sun was brilliant, but it was soon to be swallowed up by incoming clouds. The mountain tops were dusted with faint traces of snow. He then looked up at Sanji again. If anything, the man looked even more stoic than usual, face heavy with thought. Being free of Rayleigh, Ussop thought Sanji would look a little more happy – but Ussop saw sleepless eyes and a tight frown and scrunched shoulders, with tight fists.

"How will we communicate?" he asked tentatively.

"We can meet," Sanji assured him. "I will be living there for a little under a year. It's…complicated."

Ussop furrowed his brow again. "Are you helping those guys to get over the curse?"

"I'm going to try."

"I don't know if that's a good idea…"

"Look, like I said, it's complicated. I…they helped me. I can return the favor."

"But they're _bad_ guys, Sanji," Ussop lowered his voice in a low whisper, reaching out to hold his arm. "Doflamingo was an uncooperative dictator who thought of himself as a god. And those kids were _mean_! And the rest of them - !"

"How insulting," Law commented from above them, causing Ussop to jerk back. Once Ussop caught sight of Law, he made to faint – Sanji caught him quickly, lowering him to sit on the stump he'd abandoned. Sanji then gave the Beast a dirty look. Law was sprawled over on a branch over them, like some large predator, blending in with the thick foliage of the tree.

"I told you to keep your trap shut," Sanji snapped at him. "Ussop is _sensitive_. He'll have a heart attack looking at your ugly mug!"

"He was insulting us, first," Law snorted, resting chin on hand, foot dangling from the branch.

Ussop recovered shakily, gaping up at the Beast with a fearful expression. He clung to Sanji with both arms, saying, "You can't eat him! He's stringy and foul tempered and smokes a lot – he'll give you indigestion!"

"As if his cooking hasn't, already," Law grumbled.

Sanji tossed Ussop aside and kicked the tree, the Beast clinging to the branch with both arms with startled action. "Shut up! Opinion to yourself, you bastard! Anyway, Ussop, I've made up my mind. This is something I agreed to do, and I made a promise."

Ussop trembled for a few moments, knees knocking as he stared at the ghastly creature that grumbled to itself, resetting itself on the branch. When it opened one brilliant amber eye, the vertical pupil focused on him. It then widened with blood lust before the Beast bared its teeth. Ussop started to faint again before Sanji caught him and sat him down impatiently.

"We can still talk, and there'll be plenty of eyes and ears around to hear you call for me, okay?" Sanji said assuredly, lightly slapping Ussop’s cheeks to keep Ussop conscious. "There's always a bunch of them in town. They're on high alert – I guess Doflamingo is aware of any tactic Rayleigh might use to cause danger to us all. But…I'm confident that they have my back."

"B-bu-but I just…I don't think…!" Ussop gulped tightly. " _This_ isn't Doflamingo?"

"No."

Looking at him with puzzled action because Sanji didn't expand on it, Ussop moved on. "Everyone is trying to kill him, won't you be in danger?"

"No. Look, I have a situation to talk to you about, now that we're in the area," Sanji said, sitting next to him. "You're good with people, right?"

"Aw, don't talk about it in front of me!" Law complained, shifting restlessly, Ussop clinging quickly to Sanji with a terrified gasp. "So embarrassing!"

"SHUT UP if you want to live!" Sanji then looked at Ussop, who started to look puzzled at Sanji's impatient attitude towards the fearsome creature. "I need some advice on how to…entice somebody's interest. _Love_ interest."

The request was so outlandish that Ussop lost track of thought, looking at his friend with bewilderment. He looked from Sanji to Beast, until he refocused on Sanji once more. "For… _why_?"

"I've …I need to fall in love with someone," Sanji muttered. "Within a year. Or there will be permanent consequences to my failure."

"You're _cursed_?" Ussop cried in panicked.

"Very. Only True Love's Kiss will cure it," Sanji repeated tonelessly. "Please help me."

Ussop gaped at him while Law growled, and Ussop looked up at him with panic, then back at Sanji, unable to believe this bad fortune of events. "I – I – I - ! I'm the worst person to ask! I've never - ! Well, uh, shouldn't you take a period of grievance, first? I mean, you were engaged - !"

"Wasn't my choice. Look, first things first. How do I…find someone interested in romance?" Sanji asked seriously. "Are there any single maidens available?"

"Plenty…but…Sanji, you know how the villagers are," Ussop said uncomfortably, looking down at his boots once more. "Now that you had a failed engagement with a male, women…won't be your first choice."

"Whatever. Single men, then?"

"For you, a lot. Um, how about Zoro? He's not that bad of a guy – "

" _No_. Next."

"Uh, well – "

"When men want to be courted, how do you think they'd want to be?" Sanji asked, Law sitting up to listen to Ussop's answer.

Ussop felt himself sweating nervously as he realized the Beast was listening intently. It puzzled him that it would, and he couldn't help but glance upward, finding those eerie eyes focused directly on him. He stuttered as he answered, "I – I don't know! From your experience, what do – ?"

"I don't have any experience, Ussop. An 80 year old man manipulated me and made the experience entirely unpleasant for any future aspirations into that area, so asking me would not work," Sanji snapped.

Ussop furrowed his brow once again. "Then who are you asking for, if it isn't for yourself, Sanji?"

"Er…"

"This is a waste of time!" Law snarled, sitting up. "I thought you said he'd be useful!"

"He is!"

"So far, he's not."

"For _you_?" Ussop asked with incredulous action, gaping. Then he said with hesitation, "There's no hope for you. Nobody can fall in love with a Beast."

"I know that," Law growled, dropping down from the branch with a heavy thump of sound. Ussop dove behind Sanji's back as the fearsome creature took to low ground near some brush, blending in with it so that if anyone happened to look in their direction, they'd see the men first.

"Then why b-bother?" Ussop asked shakily.

"There's a chance," Sanji answered. "It can happen. We have to at least try."

Ussop looked at the creature closely, wearing a curious expression. "Which one are you? There were three of you kids - "

"It doesn't matter," Sanji waved off that question. "The only thing that matters is courtship. I was thinking maybe we can lure someone close to the woods at night, and these two can have meaningful conversation that will eventually turn into – "

"Everyone is _terrified_ of the woods at night, that's not going to work," Ussop said patiently. To the Beast, he said, "Look, just accept that you're going to die. This isn't happening. It can't. You're too scary to look at."

"I have to try!" Law insisted, his voice fearsome for Ussop as he hid behind Sanji once more. " _I have to try_ – I have a year! I need to do this!"

Sanji shrugged a shoulder. "It couldn't hurt to lay low for a year to do this. That's why I agreed to it."

"You knew it was a lost cause?" Ussop asked, before burying his face against Sanji's cloak as Law growled at him.

"Maybe love letters will do," Sanji decided, hands on his hips. "You can scout a person out in town. _He_ can play secret admirer."

"That sounds easier!" Ussop said, peering up at him. "I can run the letters back and forth!"

"Guys don't like 'love letters'," Law mumbled. "Sounds stupid."

"You're…Law. You're _Law_ , right?" Ussop asked, lifting his eyebrows.

"Shut up. You're not worthy to utter my name."

Sanji kicked the bush and said to Ussop, "He's just as bratty as you remembered, just bigger."

"You were such a jerk to us," Ussop mumbled. "I'll never forgive you for chasing off my sheep – "

"I did too many things to apologize for one thing, so I'm not apologizing," Law said with a yawn.

"Then why should I help?"

Law growled, rising up from the bush, Ussop hiding behind Sanji once more. Sanji frowned up at Law with impatience.

But Law said, "He's right! I can't count on him, Sanji. This is ridiculous. The more we speak of it, the more stupid it gets! There's no hope!"

"Not with that attitude," Sanji muttered. "And please hide. You're easily seen. Our voices can carry."

"Look, we can do that secret admirer thing," Law said, sitting near the brush once more. "Baby can write letters. She's good at that. Then, as interest rises, maybe we can start talking in the dark. It'll be easy to plan our conversations ahead."

Sanji looked at Ussop. "All we need is you to pick out the sucker – or the lucky guy. Or girl."

Ussop fretted for a moment, then looked at Law again. He was utterly convinced that this task would go nowhere. The guy was too scary, and all Ussop remembered was him as a child, causing trouble. There was no way he'd ever find a love interest in anybody in town. But it was for Sanji, and Sanji was set on helping. Ussop didn't understand why, but he figured Sanji needed to do this to stay out of Rayleigh's reach, and keep from approaching Zeff. He would do it for Sanji.

He nodded solemnly. "I will do this."

"I will assign someone to you," Law said. "Keep your windows open."

"If possible, can you please bring me a bag full of my things from the house?" Sanji asked Ussop. "My winter clothes, and…my book of…ahem…Norland's tales. The rest…let them have it. I won't return to that town after this. I'm too ashamed to show my face after that entire thing with Rayleigh."

Ussop looked at him sadly, Law looking at him with interest. "We have several volumes of Norland's – "

"I want my own, I don't want yours."

"FINE."

"You'll really be okay?" Ussop asked again, looking at Sanji with worry. Sanji nodded, pulling his hood over his head. He patted Ussop on the shoulder and followed after the Beast as he led the way out of there. Ussop watched them both disappear into the trees, and felt anxiety warm up his insides. While the entire encounter was just _weird_ , he couldn't decide which was weirder. Beast looking for a true love, or Sanji agreeing to help.

He supposed Sanji had his reasons. He turned and headed home, mind filled with questions.

: :

That evening, Sanji cooked quietly, running Ussop's words through his head. He had a feeling that Zeff would react as he did, and now that Ussop had confirmed it – he felt unsure of his feelings. All that he knew was that he needed to talk to Zeff himself. Just for closure. If the old man truly felt Sanji were only property to him, that he was given to Rayleigh for something as simple as a horse, then Sanji needed to hear it from Zeff himself. _Then_ Sanji would move on from the situation.

He pulled the tray out of the oven, and then shuffled with it over to the counter. Law was sitting nearby, waiting with anticipation. The Beast reminded Sanji of a dog, sometimes, just sitting in the corner of the room watching him. Not like a creeper, Sanji reflected, but a dog, eager for the scraps or a bit of attention. It was when Law opened his mouth with some ridiculous thing that made Sanji react.

Beast watched Sanji drop layers of shredded cheese over the mountain of meatballs, then set it back into the oven once more. He stirred the potatoes before closing the door, then tended to the vegetables. After that, he pulled out the platter he used to feed Law, then a smaller plate for himself. Once the food was ready, he heaped the platter with a clean presentation of potatoes with a side of meatballs, then arranged the vegetables fittingly. He shoved the platter over to Law and scraped what was left of the crispy cheese and pieces of meatball onto his own plate.

Law looked at his food platter, then looked at Sanji’s plate. He grabbed an uneaten meatball and dumped that onto Sanji’s plate. The Beast then sat back and ate the rest, humming in delight. Sanji frowned at him as he looked down at the meatball with fur on it, then plucked it off and ate in silence. Law licked the platter clean, then removed it from his face with a satisfied air, dropping the platter onto the counter with a noisy clatter.

"Tasted like shit," he said, burping. "Cheesy. I can't handle cheese – "

"I'd be more insulted if you hadn't just cleaned your damn plate."

"Just warning you for next time."

Sanji rolled his eyes, then looked up again when Law growled, looking frustrated. He changed his tune, saying with immense effort, "I lied. I only said that because I was mad. It was actually very good. Perfect. I liked the crispy parts of the cheese around the edges. And the vegetables were juicy."

Surprised at the change in tune, Sanji finished chewing. "Ah. Well. Thanks."

Law studied the ceiling for a few moments before saying, "We have a room ready for you. You can redecorate it, if you'd like. And the seamstresses have already started on a wardrobe for you, and fresh blankets set on the bed. It's been checked for bugs. It's good."

Sanji wasn't sure about the idea of sleeping in the castle. It wasn't that it was scary – not with the amount of noise from everyone, and there was no fear in anybody sneaking up to the place to cause damage. But it was the fact that his life had changed significantly. For the better? He wasn't sure. He was relieved in that he wouldn't feel Rayleigh's touches anymore, not have to taste his kisses. But Zeff was still gone. And helping Beast find a True Love was going to be difficult when he could barely stand Law's childish reasoning.

He set his plate aside, indicating for him to take the rest. Then he started cleaning, saying nothing while Law ate the remnants quickly, licking the oven warmed dish clean as well. He then settled on the floor to clean himself as Sanji wiped the counters down. Baby and Buffalo shuffled into the kitchen, complaining about something, causing the three of them to argue and fight amongst each other. Sanji didn't pay attention to what it was, but Baby whined, Buffalo threatened, and Law growled until Baby was laughing, Buffalo was looking forward to the promise of blueberry pancakes as soon as he was human, and Law was picking out brambles from his shirt. Sanji once again thought that it was pitiful that these kids never had a chance to grow up – he wondered what they'd be like, human. He finished cleaning, the appliance all calling out 'thanks!' for the extra attention, and then headed upstairs. Law followed after him, the candles lighting their way. The family room was silent and cold, Sanji wondering where everyone was.

Law showed him to his room, where the fireplace was already started, and the candles around the room showed Sanji a bed near the fire, an empty bookshelf, his meager things at the edge of a dresser.

"Is there anything alive in here?" he asked cautiously.

"No. They won't come up unless you call for them. Ah, this overlooks the south end of the valley," Law noticed, standing carefully aside the window, looking out. The stars in the sky shone brilliantly, the moon a silver disk in the distance. An owl took flight from the eaves, and someone shrieked with laughter from the courtyard. A hunter screamed in surprise somewhere, followed by rapid shouts from the guards. He closed the windows, and looked back at Sanji as he sat at the edge of the bed with a frown.

"What are my duties, aside from cooking and finding you true love?" he asked heavily. "Can I be of any assistance in anything else?"

"I don't know, it'll be a day to day thing," Law said. He wondered if that expression of Sanji's suggested that the blond thought of himself as a prisoner, or something. Law wondered if he was – but Sanji had volunteered, he reasoned. Sanji _volunteered_ to help him do this, in exchange to find Zeff in the first place. He would have to remind him of this.

"We have plenty of servants and things like that here. You're free to wander the castle and look at things. I usually go out hunting early in the morning, late in the afternoon. It's almost time for the Harvest Festival, and I like going down to the village to see those things."

"You do?" Sanji asked, looking at him curiously. He thought of the nighttime celebrations – where people played music and celebrated the year's bounty, where they feasted on the extras, and danced and courted each other gaily. They sometimes dressed up for All Hallow's Eve and hung decorations out. It was a good place to be.

"Yeah. We'd hide out on the streets to look at everything. My favorite place to sit and watch is the church's bell tower – no one goes in there, and I can see everything," Law said cheerfully, laying down in front of the fire, rolling onto his side. "It always looked like a lot of fun down there."

"It…it is," Sanji muttered, wondering how many times he'd looked in that direction, unknowing that they were being watched from above.

Rolling onto his back to satisfy the itch on his back, Law rolled about until he found a satisfying position to scratch. "I like those things, with the drizzle on top. Little balls with hidden treats inside. Like a cherry, or an apple slice."

"Oh…fruit pops."

" _Yes_. And the watermelon with ham around it, that the butcher's wife makes. I like watching the games that they play, near the wishing well. Everyone with their masks and ribbons, and music….one day, when we're human again, we'll be able to participate," Law said as he lifted his head, tail slapping the floor, eyes narrowed. "On our own terms. I look forward to that day when we get to participate."

Sanji narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "When you turn human again, will you want revenge?"

" _No_."

Sanji knew he was lying, with the way Law looked in the opposite direction when he answered. Sanji wasn't sure how he felt about that, wondering what would happen once these people regained their human forms. Sanji wondered what he'd feel in a year. He couldn't say for sure, because right now, all he felt was sympathy for the kids that watched the festivities from a distance, unable to participate. He pulled off his boots and heavy sweater, folding it aside. He reached for his nightgown sitting nearby, and pulled that on. Then he slipped underneath the blankets with a heavy sigh, finding that the bed was too massive for one person. He tossed and turned to get comfortable, and bunched most of the blankets up around himself to trick himself into thinking he wasn't alone. 

When that didn’t work, he lifted his head and looked over at Law, finding the Beast staring at the fire with a wistful expression. Sanji cleared his throat before asking, "Do you…want to sleep…here?"

He patted the end of the mattress, nervous at the invitation.

"I'm not a fucking dog!" Law snapped at him, rising from the floor and leaving his room with a slam of the door. Sanji scowled at the door and drew the blankets over himself, huffing.

Staring at the shapes the fireplace made on the wall, Sanji wondered what Zeff told Ussop to make Ussop feel the way he did. He needed to see for himself what the old man was thinking.


	10. Expectations

The next morning, Sanji woke and stared up at the ceiling for some time, re-orienting himself to the situation. All he heard was the fireplace and some voices in the distance. The massive room was so large that he thought he heard his own thoughts echo – after living for years in cramped quarters with Zeff, living in a place like this was going to take some time getting used to. He searched himself for any feelings that he had of the situation – he _did_ feel relieved that he wasn't living in the same house as Rayleigh. He _did_ feel relieved that there would be no wedding – but at what price? He was now living in a castle with the Beast and his herd of enchanted items, helping him find True Love to break the spell – it sounded ridiculous, even as he whispered it aloud to himself.

But anything was better than being trapped with Rayleigh. Sanji threw aside the blankets and found some clothes that the sewing machines – _seamstresses_? – had made for him. He felt self-conscious in such fine fabrics, when everything he'd worn before had been hand-me-downs and shabby material sewed together by an old man’s hand. He turned and looked at himself in a full figure mirror, a little astonished to see such finery on his form. For a moment he gaped at himself, plucking at the fabric. The blue really brought out his eyes, showed off his maturing frame – he didn't look like a shabby worker, anymore. Just someone a little high class – maybe someone that worked for a higher class.

Still, he admired himself, turning this way and that, caught up with the feeling of awe. Once he'd brushed his teeth and headed downstairs, he heard a collection of voices coming from a corridor to his left. Even if they were speaking quietly, the sound carried, allowing him to listen from the stairway. He paused in mid-step, steadying his left hand on the hand rail so he wouldn’t alert anyone that he was there. 

"Look, you assholes, that's just how it works! Why are you so _afraid_?" Doflamingo was saying, the others murmuring away from him. Sanji wondered if these things could even sleep. "I know Rayleigh makes you uncomfortable, he's a little weird in the head, but we just need to bear it until we regain our human bodies. Frankly, give it some thought – we aren't humans, anymore. Even if that conniving bastard made his way in here, he can't do much to us. It's _Law_ that we'd have to worry about, because that little brat has the ability to fall under his spell."

"Then we step up security. Or ask Tsuru for help. She was willing to help when he was younger, maybe she'll provide some assistance with this, now," Corazon said. "Keep an eye on that man, because even if he disappeared from the village after what happened, I bet he'll be around to tie up loose ends. Rayleigh was discovered hiding Zeff away by another party unrelated to him, and I'm sure he's not going to be happy that Sanji rejected him."

"Right, well…I just think that even if Law has this idea to get this guy to fall in love with him, it's not something we should rely on," Machvise said gravely. "It's impossible that he would!"

"It's _really_ impossible," most of them agreed.

"I almost feel that Law hates us, and this is his revenge," someone added.

"You'd have to have some wiring wrong if you find yourself thinking of anything affectionate of that brat," Pink muttered.

"Look, you guys, Law is really trying," Jora said. "He doesn't want to be that thing anymore, and it's all Doflamingo's fault - !"

"It's _Cora's_!"

" _You_ shouldn't have ducked!"

" _You_ should've been in bed!"

" _Enough_ with the blame game, you two! What happened, _happened_! And Law's doing his best! In order for him to accomplish the plan, we've just got to do what we can to help," Jora continued, huffing. "We have to really work on making him appealing for Sanji. It's going to be hard for Law to even get past the wall that kid made with what pervert Rayleigh's done to him."

Sanji’s eyebrows rose, but his expression didn’t change.

"All I'm saying is, I have no confidence in Law accomplishing this at all," Doflamingo muttered. "He's going to mess it up."

"Have more faith in him!"

"I'm still convinced that we should have our plots made."

"We'll have them made, but don't give up on him," Baby begged. "I believe he can do this! After all, he convinced Sanji to stay here. He even had a plan for him to escape Rayleigh – he didn't have to do all those things, but he did."

"So, what, does Law already like him, or is he trying to convince himself that he can?"

"He said it should be easy, considering he's never done it before. He'll fall in love with the concept of it – should be the same."

"He always makes things so technical," Vergo complained. "I bet he's got a list and a plan written out in his room, somewhere."

"I've seen it. It's pretty detailed. He adds notes to it every night. He's going to be a Sanji-expert by the end of it."

Doflamingo sighed heavily. "Fine, I'll sit along with this farce. But I won't get my hopes up."

"No one said you had to," Corazon muttered.

"What are you guys talking about in here? Doffy?" Law asked, clearly startling some of the speakers as gasps were heard.

"Nothing important. Listen, we're discussing our plans – Rayleigh was spotted riding by hours earlier, we needed some assurance that we're doing the right thing in allowing that runaway bride to stay here. These guys are restless, they feel they could fall under his mind control."

"I don't want to start over with anyone else, Doffy," Law complained, his voice carrying from one end to the other, so Sanji imagined him pacing. "It was a real hassle just talking to him. Now that we can address each other amicably, I'm not about to see if I can actually do this with another person."

"I just feel that if you had a chance with an actual _woman_ , who would fall for you if you'd just _intimidated_ her into liking you - !"

"Doffy, that only works for you," Corazon said with a huff.

" _First_ off, the last time I talked to a _real_ girl, I was ten," Law interrupted impatiently. Baby growled from somewhere. "Back then, girls were stupid because they only made fun of me, so I made them cry. Now that I am older, all the girls that I made fun of are now married with tons of children. I have plans to ruin that fucking village and it makes more sense falling in love with a guy than a girl, because then we can team up and _really_ cause trouble without having a ton of kids in the way."

Everyone laughed.

" _Haah_? What? Am I wrong? The way I see it, _two_ men are better than one! _Why are you laughing_? I didn't say anything remotely funny! I'm being serious!"

"Oh, Law!" Corazon laughed. "We're going to die! And you're making jokes!"

" _Argh_ , YOU PEOPLE!" Law roared with impatience.

Sanji rolled his eyes at this point but he'd heard enough. He walked back to his room, hearing them jeer and cut Law down for thinking of love between men as such things, and Sanji had to admit, he felt disappointed and irritated. He walked over to the chair near the fireplace and sat down, watching the embers flare. He had known there was something more to Law's efforts. He _knew_ there was too much change in the Beast's behavior towards him.

He felt it was tiresome that yet another person thought only to use him; not to get close to him out of any goodness of their heart. But this time, after overhearing this, he didn't feel _too_ hurt – after all, there was just _no way_ he could fall in love with that childish Beast. Law was a combination of animals with a man's soul inside of it – how the hell could anyone think that it was possible to fall for something as hideous as that creature, with something as childish and unreasonable as his personality? So he couldn't quite take this sort of deception to heart – it was more amusing than anything.

But he sat there, thinking about it with a rue smile to his face.

Not only could he not find himself attracted to the Beast, but Rayleigh had ruined his view on the concept of 'love'. Kisses were disgusting. Touches were enough to make him shiver with disgust. Knowing that the Beast required a _True Love's First Kiss_ made the event even more disgusting, because how was he supposed to kiss a beast? Something with a dog-like muzzle, sharp teeth, and smelled like a wet animal after it rained? Only someone ruined in the head could do something like that.

So, if they were relying on him to break the spell, then they were all sorely mistaken. Sanji had been prepared to help Beast find true love – not _become_ his love. The whole concept of it was ridiculous. They couldn't have chosen a more impossible person.

He snorted, staring at the embers, drawing his hands over his chest. Now that he was aware of their plan, he was a little amused to see how it could happen. He was quite certain that it'd never work – there was no possible way _he'd fall in love with a beast_.

Later on, after he'd changed back into his own worn clothing, he watched as Law opened up a large book, filled with maps of their world, and slammed it atop of one of the kitchen counters. Sanji was already feeling angry over what he'd heard this morning, and his mood was noticeable to everyone. Most of the kitchen staff had fallen silent after some attempts of talking with him. He saw dried blood around the Beast's muzzle and mane, and looked up at him with disgust. Beast had brambles in his fur, and some pieces of bark clinging to his clothes. Over his pants were streaks of blood and bits of deer fur. He stared at him with utter exasperation – those clowns thought he was supposed to fall in love with _this_?

"I was thinking," Law said, sitting so that he could flip through the pages. "See here. This is us on this page."

"This is a kitchen, not a fucking library."

"Here is the quarry," Law continued, ignoring Sanji's grumpy mood. He traced over the section of the map with his claw, saying, "over here, I found a field of these weird berries. They taste really good. Couldn't you make a pie out of them?"

"…Yeah."

"Then, you can take those pies down to the Harvest Festival and – "

"What…?"

"And we can trade them for food from other vendors."

Sanji stared at him, pausing in mixing his cake batter. The concept of Law wanting to be involved in the Harvest Festival made him suspicious. " _What_?"

"See, once we have these items in hand, we can have you then inject poison into them and re-sell them at another stall, or just give them away, and have all of them suffer gastrointestinal distress for _days_! It's an amazing plan! They'll be shitting in their streets for weeks!" Law then guffawed at the thought of it, panting with delight.

Sanji kicked him in the thigh, causing him to stumble with a startled bark. " _No it's not_! You don't fuck with food like that! How could you even - ?"

"Admittedly, I've been thinking a lot about revenge, lately," Law said, looking the map over with his tail wagging. "I thought we could become partners in crime. After all, they didn't think to intervene with your marriage arrangements, right?"

"You're going about this all wrong," one of the appliances muttered.

" _Shut up_! Sanji," Law said, looking at him with a determined expression, "Don't you feel anger for them, too? They knew that this marriage was wrong, right? So why did none of them not step in on your behalf when Zeff was missing?"

Sanji stared at him, stirring once more. "But it was an acceptable arrangement in their eyes. It's not rare – there are others in a similar position. Besides, who am I to say otherwise? Without parents of my own to decide what's best for me, the next best thing, Zeff, was the one to speak for me. It's really not that uncommon."

"But shouldn't his word be disregarded once he went missing?" Law asked, pulling the book down and settling on the floor while Sanji walked around him, dumping the batter into a pan. He flipped through the maps, examining each one as Sanji remained busy. "And then your friend Ussop said that he was a mean bastard that doesn't deserve an apology – "

"That's only for me to decide. I get that he has my best interests in his heart, but only _I_ know Zeff's state of mind," Sanji muttered.

Law stretched up a leg to scratch behind his ear, Sanji turning and kicking him away from the food preparation area. Grumbling, Law headed to the corner of the kitchen to finish scratching, and Sanji returned to cooking. When Law returned and settled back into his spot, he said, "I bet you're really curious about Zeff's state of mind right now, aren't you?"

Sanji knew he couldn't lie. He nodded.

"Well, let's go see him. You can ask him for yourself, and get some closure on this mess."

Sanji turned to look at him skeptically. "You'd…let me?"

"You're not a prisoner here," Law said with exasperation, giving him an annoyed look. Sanji had to step over him just to cross the kitchen to complete his task. "If there's something you want to do, within reason, all you have to do is ask. Besides, I'm curious, too."

"Well, it'd mean having to find Ussop and Zoro – "

"We can do without Zoro. He tried to kill me."

"But he's the only one that knows these hills."

"I know them better!"

"Well, admittedly, he doesn't fall easily under Rayleigh's spell," Sanji muttered, turning red. "He might actually come in handy if we run into him."

Law sighed heavily, flopping over the floor, resting his head atop of his front paws. He glared at the tile for some time, tail moving restlessly as Sanji finished putting together his cake. He shoved the pan into the oven, then began cleaning up. As he was doing so, he heard the Beast snoring at that moment, and frowned over at him.

 _Just like a dog_! he thought with exasperation. After drying and putting things away, he swept and mopped, then pulled the finished cake out from the oven. He set that aside to cool, then opened the fridge to look for the icing mixture he'd set there earlier. Checking on it, he set that out as well, and then lightly kicked the Beast awake.

Law stretched as Sanji left the kitchen.

"I'll send someone out to find them, then," Law said, yawning in mid-speech. "But he better not try to kill me."

"I'll make sure of it," Sanji said with a sigh. "I would like some cigarettes."

"It's going to make you smell weird."

"I need them."

"We're going out," Law told the couch. "Where's Doffy?"

"I don't know. Shoveling, I think," Pica answered. His high pitched voice sounded so ridiculous, that Sanji struggled to keep a straight face. "No one's helping him, and he's angry about digging his own grave. I'd keep my distance."

Sanji tried to picture Doffy the wine-opener holding a shovel.

"Where's Baby? Is she done with my letters?"

" _I am_!" Baby cried, from somewhere on the staircase. She appeared into view within moments, Buffalo right behind her. "I wrote some really amazing things, poured all my heart and soul into seducing a potential lover with an opening introduction alone! The words just flowed right out of me! These secret letters, made to lure my beloved from the shadows, to comfort and make love to from verbal exploration – _ah_! Law, you're going to be so proud of me!"

She had the papers tucked into her bristles, so Law pulled them out, reading over them with a thoughtful expression. He then tossed them away with a wretched expression and a light gag, causing her to shriek with dismay.

"You're so mean-daysaun!" Buffalo cried, trying to save them. Sanji watched with a fitful expression, unable to figure out how objects without hands could carry anything at all. Then he supposed he was giving too much thought into objects cursed by an enchantress. 

"These are _stupid,_ no one talks like this! First of all, Ussop hasn't even come back with a subject - !"

Baby was right up against Law, hitting him with her bristles. He pushed her away impatiently, only to be knocked against the head, attacked while Sanji crouched and gathered up the letters. "I worked hard on this! These are only getting to know you letters, they're not supposed to be specific, you asshole!"

"I would never say half of those things - !"

"They're only so you can get an 'in' with them, stupid!"

Sanji read them over then nodded, giving a sound of approval.

"These are really good," he commented. Baby was on him immediately, cuddling up against his side as Law looked at him with disgust. "They're very polite, yet obvious. There are no _deceptions_ in the inscriptions here."

"Would you be intrigued by them?" Baby asked, on a near swoon.

"I would be very curious as to who it was that thought of me so nicely," Sanji told her. "I would love to meet them. If they could think of this about me, then surely they're nice people."

"Ah! I should've asked you, first! And not _you_ , you dummy!"

"What _ever_ , I don't care what happens in those letters, as long as we're successful in the end," Law muttered, ears flicking. "But I don't speak in that manner, so keep that in mind when we're having conversations in the woods."

"She'll write you a script," Sanji told him, re-folding the letters, unsure of how to hand it back. "Anyway, let us go. It might be a long hike. We might end up doing this early in the morning."

"Right, right."

Hours later, Ussop appeared in view in the same spot they'd met the last time, carrying a brown bag. He handed it over to Sanji, who looked through it with a cheered smile, finding his cigarettes. He lit one, inhaling with grateful action as Ussop looked at Law with extreme caution. Law was sitting next to Sanji, just below some low branches of a pine tree and some thorn bushes that kept him from being seen from anyone coming from the direction Ussop had.

"He won't bite," Sanji assured him, looking through the bag and finding the things he'd requested. "Thank you, Ussop. I'm really appreciative."

'You're welcome. Listen, the town has been gossiping, a lot," Ussop muttered, toeing the soft ground. "It's hard not to respond. But they want to do away with your house – "

"Let them. I've nothing valuable in there," Sanji muttered, setting the bag aside. "I, uh, had a request…"

"To go see Zeff?"

"Yes."

Ussop gave him an uncertain frown. "But what if he already fled with Rayleigh?"

"He would do that?"

"At the time, I had no doubt that he would," Ussop muttered, rubbing his arm uncomfortably. "I also think that it wouldn't be a good idea if he were there. He'd say…some cruel things. I just feel that you should leave it be, Sanji."

"I can't," Sanji insisted. "I…I was with him all these years, since I was a child, I can't just…he was the man that took care of me. For him to behave so oddly, I just…I need to see it for myself."

"He wasn't originally yours to begin with?" Law asked curiously, lifting his head from his paws.

"No. He found me. I…I'm originally from the north, but…I ran away from home."

"That's where I'm from, too. The north."

"How did you get down here?" Sanji asked curiously. "After the fire?"

"Long story."

"I don't want to do this," Ussop said, frowning at the somewhat peaceable nature of the Beast, who looked utterly fearsome. But Sanji was quite comfortable sitting there with him, unafraid of the massive being's sharp teeth, bright eyes, and horns that looked mighty enough to lift a small tree from the roots.

"If you can just show us the way, we'll go on our own," Sanji said, dashing ashes to the side. "Oh, maybe send Zoro to me."

Ussop grimaced, looking at Law dubiously. He whispered noisily, "He's going to try and kill this guy!"

Sanji shrugged it off. "They'll work it out. But it appears that Rayleigh's spell doesn't touch him. He seemed to know this of him, and avoided him. Meanwhile, I had no clue until recently what Rayleigh was capable of. It'll be important to have someone without a brain to resist this power."

"Well…that night in the rain, he seemed impervious to Rayleigh's words. Not that he spoke to him directly, but… _okay_ , if that's what you want, but…he's deadset on killing _him_ to get to you. He's been self-medicating all this time," Ussop added.

Law snorted, scratching behind his ear again. Sanji regarded him cautiously, wondering if he had ticks or fleas. "Frankly, he's not done a very impressive show of wooing if Sanji only thinks of him as an errand boy."

"He really hasn't," Sanji admitted. He inhaled thoughtfully of his cigarette, then said, "He isn't that impressive at all. He ugly, he's boastful, and when he tried to kiss me, he smelled like beef."

"He tried to kiss you? _Ugh_ ," Law muttered, shaking his head. "I mean, only because he sounds like a whale's dick."

" _You're_ the whale's dick!"

" _Haah_? How can you say that? I'm quite impressive myself. People run at the sight of me, and I don't have to lift a hand to defend myself. Mostly."

Sanji frowned at him. "You're quite the boastful beast yourself."

"It's not 'boastful', it's confidence!"

"You guys get along really well," Ussop pointed out nervously.

"I somehow manage," Sanji muttered. "He's a ten year old trapped in a man's body, really."

"It's really me that has to do all the work," Law complained. "He's grumpier than a harpy with her tits tied – "

Sanji kicked him, causing him to skulk away, Ussop covering his mouth with shock. Sanji sat back down, flustered. "Ignore that. I want to do this, Ussop. It's pretty important to me. If I can just hear what Zeff has to say about this, I'll be able to move on."

"It's a six hour hike from here," Ussop said reluctantly. "I made sure to map our route because my leader wasn't very good at remembering anything. We will have to camp because it's too dangerous to travel at night, considering the terrain."

"Then we'll meet early in the morning, somewhere near the quarry?"

"Sure…" Ussop looked at Law, who was busy cleaning out some kind of gunk between his claws. "Will…will you be…?"

After a short sneeze and another scratch atop of his head, Law answered, "I have nothing else to do."

"As long as it's within the valley, he can go," Sanji said.

Ussop looked at him with consideration, then said, "You're really okay with this? I mean… I just…I don't think that we should. Considering what Zeff's plans were, and…I don't…feel comfortable doing this, Sanji."

"I have to do this, this is closure for me. Otherwise, I would spend the rest of my life wondering…"

"I understand," Ussop said slowly, frowning at him. "I just… _okay_. Well, I'll tell Zoro. I, um…you guys can work the details out with your buddy, here."

"I'm not going to be traveling with you guys directly," Law said on a grumble, sitting up. Ussop quickly shifted away, fretting at the thought of being suddenly mauled. "I'll be around. Frankly, it's none of my business what Sanji wants to do, I just know that he'll do it."

Sanji frowned up at him, saying, "Just as long as you stay out of sight, I'm sure we'll be fine. Also, be careful, because Zoro might be a good shot, considering his reputation amongst the other hunters."

"I know this already. He shot at me a few times. But I'm better than him."

"If you get shot and die, then our deal's off."

"I SAID I _KNOW_!"

" _NO NEED TO YELL_!"

Ussop covered his ears and glared at them both. "You two! _Stop_! They can hear us, you know!"

Huffing, Sanji tossed his cigarette to the ground and buried it underneath some mud, using his boots to do so. He looked at Ussop again, Law scowling off to the side. "I'll meet you there, okay? Thank you. I'll bring the meals, too, so don't worry about things like that."

"Right."

As the pair walked off, still arguing between each other, Ussop looked after them with bewilderment. But he was not looking forward to tomorrow's trip.

: :

The next morning, before the sun could rise, he looked around anxiously for any sign of Sanji. Zoro was sitting nearby, yawning noisily over a hot cup of soup that'd taken from the kitchen. Scanning the trees, Ussop hoped he didn't see Law in them – he'd most likely give him away. Minutes later, Sanji hurried up to them, carrying a bag over one shoulder, huffing and puffing.

Zoro abandoned his soup, pushing it into Ussop's hands before he could say anything and in Sanji's face in one smooth movement. "You don't look mauled or savaged," he commented, pulling Sanji's scarf down to examine his neck and chest.

"Why are you molesting me this way? Get off," Sanji snapped, kicking him aside. "I brought some food for the trip, and, um… _this_. For…your actions that…I am…grateful, for."

He pulled out jackets for Ussop and Zoro, both of them reacting with surprise and awe over the expensive fabric. Zoro examined his skeptically, then removed his bearskin-cape to put the jacket on – he was a little stunned to find it warm and versatile, but he still threw the bearskin back on, a little off balance by the gift. He wasn't expecting that sort of thing from Sanji, so he regarded him suspiciously.

"Zeff had these materials stored in the house, but he won't be needing them," Sanji muttered, blushing over the gesture. "So I had those guys make these for you. It's not much, I'm sorry."

"It's so warm! And I feel like money wearing it! _Thank_ you!" Ussop cried, hugging him tightly.

"You're welcome," Sanji said gruffly, pushing him back.

"What's this for?" Zoro asked him with a surly frown. "What are you kissing ass for?"

"It's just a gift to express my gratitude, shithead. If you don't like it - !"

"I'm not saying I don't, it's just…people don't give gifts for no reason!"

"It's a 'thank you' gift!"

Zoro continued to look sullen about it, shifting his bow uncomfortably while Sanji frowned at him. "Hmf."

Rolling his eyes Sanji then started walking, Ussop joining him. "It's a long hike! Smoking is not advised! You're going to have a difficult time."

"That'll be my own fault," Sanji assured him. "But I'll do my best to keep up."

Zoro followed after them, then scanned the trees around them with narrowed eyes. With the staggered terrain, the heavily wooded area with rock outcroppings and thick undergrowth, it was difficult to tell where Beast was hiding. There were the usual forest noises – birds, wildlife, the rustle of trees, the crackling of branches breaking under pressure; so he couldn't pull out the sound of Beast's footfalls. Ussop had warned him hours ago that the Beast was going to follow them up; which made him absolutely bewildered. What the hell was an enchanted creature doing so freely inserting themselves into someone's business? What sort of relationship was this?

"It's, uh…he's a friend," Sanji said low a couple hours later, when the road was flatter and he was able to catch his breath. The combination of cold, high elevation and his smoking had caused him to slow his step, lagging behind the others. "It's complicated. I'm hoping to get that answered, too. Zeff started the ritual of serving this kid cake for the past four years, and he didn't show up this year. So it was my turn."

Zoro gave him a skeptical look. When he reached over to catch Sanji's arm as he stumbled over some rocks, Sanji straightened and yanked his arm back with an embarrassed look.

"So then after that, he knew about Rayleigh?" Zoro asked as Sanji paused in place, hands on his hips to try and get his breath back. It felt like they were beginning to walk up another incline. He coughed and hacked up the mucus that made breathing difficult. "Maybe you shouldn't smoke, anymore."

"And maybe you should change your face," Sanji returned crankily. He hocked another loogie just to spite Zoro, Zoro just frowning at him. "But yeah, to answer your question, he did. All of them know who Rayleigh is."

"So he was there to break you free of that old guy's clutches, huh? How convenient. What a _good friend_."

Sanji paused and looked at him suspiciously. "Why do you say it like that?"

"I'm just saying…he was returning the favor, right?"

"…I guess so."

"Then, that's all I'm saying. What's in it for you? You're just going to cook for him? Or something?"

Sanji continued walking, adjusting the bag he carried over one shoulder. He shrugged. "For roughly a year."

"Why don't you just leave if you're free?"

"I promised I'd help him."

"So, you have a chance at freedom, a chance to get away, and you prefer to stay and be unhappy? You know what? I've never seen you smile," Zoro then added, looking at him from the corner of his eye. " _Are_ you happy?"

"I wouldn't know what happiness is if it bit me in the ass!"

"I could change that, you know."

" _You_? Make _me_ happy?" Sanji asked him skeptically, not understanding the expression on Zoro's face at that moment.

"No, the biting on – "

"Fat chance of that happening," Sanji interrupted, pushing him aside, "there is no possible way _you'd_ ever make me happy in any form."

"Why are you so angry all the time?" Zoro then complained, regaining his footing. "At this point in your life, you should be excited to explore things. You should be down to see what you're really capable of! You can move to another village, find a woman – not that they're any good, let me tell you, wanting babies and rings and shit, but you can start over."

"I've an obligation to fulfill, and I don't run from my promises, or duties," Sanji muttered bitterly. "If I said I'm going to do something, I'm going to do it."

"I think you just need a good dicking to get all that tension out of you. I'm telling you, I can – "

" _What does that mean_?" Sanji asked him sharply. "Is that some sort of winning pick up line for you? You think after all the shit I went through with Rayleigh, I'd want to turn around and do that sort of thing with somebody like you? _No_! Fuck you!"

"Man, it's like – not all things are bad, all right? Eventually, once you hit bottom, things start looking up! Life isn't always about being angry – there's a lot of stuff out there that you can actually do to make you happy! Why don't you try finding it?"

"I don't have time for that sort of shit," Sanji muttered, walking faster to get away from him, but Zoro was accustomed to this sort of effort – he kept up easily to his strides, still talking. "I just want to get this over with so I can move on with my life, and get this obligation out of the way. Maybe after, I'll move on and find some work in another town."

Zoro looked at him impatiently. As Sanji paused once more to cough and spit up more mucus, he said, "Maybe if you stopped smoking – "

"This is the one thing that gives me fucking pleasure, alright?"

"Don't give yourself a heart attack yelling at me. It's not going to do you any good. Hating yourself from the inside out isn't going to make you find happiness any easier."

Sanji rolled his eyes and continued walking. "I don't hate myself. I know what I'm capable of, and what use I can bring to another individual. Being happy about it doesn't matter in the end – what matters is what I can do for someone else."

"See, there's your problem. You're not selfish enough. I'm plenty selfish, and I'm pretty happy. I'm sure Ussop is happy, because he's always joking or laughing about something. When was the last time you laughed or smiled?"

Sanji thought about it for a moment, then said, "Yesterday morning. But only because the expectations that others have are absolutely fucking stupid and it was probably more of a sneer than a smile."

" _Fine_ , how about something from the inside that made you smile?"

Sanji shrugged. "I don't know. Quite honestly, idiot, I can't think of anything that would make me happy enough to smile."

Zoro looked at him for some time, Ussop looking back cautiously to see if things were still fine.

"It's been that hard, huh?" Zoro finally said, holding onto his pack with both hands. "That's all it's been? Work, work, work."

"That's how it is if you want to eat or have shelter."

"Well, I get by just fine, just so you know. I travel. I kill my own food, I cook my own kill. If I need something, I trade for it, or sell off my kills. If you're not looking for riches, it's actually a satisfying sort of life – "

"I'm not a hunter."

"Look, I'm giving you a chance to experience something different, and – "

"My main goal in life is to work for someone that can rely on me, alright? I don't need this sort of unpredictable road where – "

"So? You need to be pampered and taken care of? I can do that, it's no problem!"

" _NO_! That's so embarrassing, aren't you mortified by how desperate you are?"

"It's not 'desperation', it's promoting! I'm self-promoting myself to indicate what a good deal I am! You should really consider it. No one else in this world will ever get over that harpy attitude of yours like I can."

" _I'm not a fucking harpy_!"

 _Wow, this guy is persistent_ …Ussop thought with an eye roll. But he wondered if it were a good thing – if Zoro didn't mind Sanji's cantankerous attitude, maybe the hunter was good for his friend. After all, Zoro was a hard worker (Ussop supposed, being a hunter), he was fit (Ussop had seen those muscles on accident), and he was quite stubborn (Sanji might need that, considering how intense he was). Plus, he was quite willing to go out of his way to make Sanji happy(?).

Maybe Sanji needed this sort of man in his life. Someone willing to put him first, that wanted to see him happy – maybe Sanji himself needed to see what other people were able to give him in order to understand what 'happiness' meant. Zeff had him working from sun up to sun down every day, with hardly a break – Sanji had to work for his meals, his shelter, something new. He had never seen Sanji ask for anything, and he often failed to recognize good intentions from others because of Zeff. Zeff had been the one to put suspicions in Sanji's head about it.

'They only want somethin' from ya, they don't genuinely care about ya,' Ussop had heard Zeff grumble. 'You're only good for somethin', not nothin'. Even kitchen boy, here, only nice to ya for his job, nothin' more.'

'That's not true – ' Ussop heard himself deny before Zeff kicked him.

'Ain't _nobody_ good in this world! I'm older than both of you, _I_ know this better than you'll ever know now! Got it?'

Ussop had seen their relationship from the start, and Zeff had only treated Sanji as a worker, not a treasured family member. To hear the things Zeff had to say about him had been terribly painful, because Ussop knew Sanji was more than just an object. To know Sanji wanted to hear it from his own mouth – Ussop knew it was going to be more painful for him than to Sanji.

But if it gave him peace to learn for himself what Zeff truly thought, then Ussop would go with Sanji to give him support.

 _Please don't have any expectations other than what you know_ , Ussop thought piteously.

: :

When they finally reached the small cabin, it was Zoro that went ahead first. Ussop and Sanji stayed hidden in the woods, watching the hunter approach. It was a very small house – a shack with a working fire chimney. There were trees that still needed to be cleared away, and a clothesline strung nearby. There was a firewood shelter facing the shack, safe from the rain by a protective roof of animal skins and branches.

Sanji watched Zoro knock on the door, the sound absurdly loud for the enclosed area. It was so desolate, isolated that it seemed impossible for a man at Zeff's age to live here on his own. He felt nervous at the thought of Rayleigh being in the area, waiting to make a move. He felt nervous facing Zeff. On one hand, he felt he knew Zeff's answers to his questions – on the other, he found himself wanting another reaction.

He looked around the heavily wooded area, wondering where Law was. If the Beast was safe, if Rayleigh was actually lying in wait. He felt a little better knowing that he was out there – simply because, if anything happened to Zoro and Ussop because of Rayleigh, then Beast could provide some sort of support.

The door opened, and his nervousness grew. He watched Zeff give Zoro a bewildered look that then turned grouchy. Words were exchanged, too low for him to hear. Then, Zoro turned in their direction and waved them over.

Ussop pushed on Sanji's shoulder to keep him hidden, saying quietly, "Sanji, whatever happens…at least you know. Okay?"

"It'll be fine, Ussop. I know what to expect," Sanji assured him in the same tone. "I just want to be sure."

"I just…well…we're here for you. I guess, all of us," Ussop then said, waving a finger in a circle to include Beast, as well.

Sanji nodded at him wondering why Ussop was making it into a big deal. But he rose from his hiding spot as Ussop moved with him. Together, they walked out from their hiding spot and approached the cabin. A cold wind rustled through the trees, causing leaves to detach, for heavy branches to sway. Somewhere in the distance, a fox called out, sounding lonely.


	11. The Awakening

Sanji could feel the tension around him, and he felt a little off guard because of it. Zeff looked as he always did; gruff, impatient, old…and while Sanji didn't feel any different at the sight of him, he did feel his shoulders stiffen a little, as if he were still the little boy eager to please the man that had taken him in. He felt that familiar feeling of rigidity he always felt being under that sharp, blue-eyed gaze. He felt coiled, ready to spring to action the moment Zeff told him to do something. But there was also something small inside of him, waiting to see if it were all a mistake. That Rayleigh would spring out from the shadows and reveal that he'd been controlling the man the entire time. It would make sense – but then again, it'd be an unbelievable dream.

He knew Zeff better than anyone here.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Zeff snapped at him, his expression full of disapproval. "I told these two clowns to leave me alone."

"I wanted to see for myself if you were okay," Sanji replied evenly. "You just took off. There was no warning, no explanation, and two different stories."

"I don't appreciate the hounding. What the fuck gives you the right to question my actions?"

Sanji looked off to the side. He felt that Zeff was right with that question – he shrugged, looking down at his scuffed boots – his feet ached within them, the tread so bare that he'd felt every pointed rock in the road. He didn't want to ruin the ones the occupants at the castle had given him.

"I just…after all these years we'd spent together, I thought…you'd at least tell me some things," he muttered.

"What's there to say?" Zeff asked impatiently, glancing at the hunter that frowned at him, and the kitchen help that lingered near Sanji, looking at him anxiously. "I owe you absolutely nothing. Besides, I gave you to Rayleigh fair and square. Now, I've come to understand that _that's_ not working out? He was just here the other day, upset about your behavior."

"I did not want to be 'given' to anyone," Sanji mumbled.

"It was a trade, brat. He gave us that place, he found me a job. In return, all he wanted was you when you were of age. I knew people would question it, and I didn't want to hear it. So I left. I don't answer to nobody. So, at that, how _dare_ you? What the fuck gives you the right to come up here, disturb me, and waste my time?"

Sanji clenched his teeth for a few moments, unable to look the man in the eye.

"Let's go," Zoro said irritably. "You heard what Ussop was trying to tell you the entire way here. _Let's go_."

"Who is Rayleigh?" Sanji then pressed. "How is it he can use power with words?"

"He's just a friend," Zeff answered, tightening his arms over his chest. "We go back a ways. Anyway, don't think you're the only one out there. For a guy that age, he's got more than one of you. By the way, you make it to the castle yet?"

Sanji looked at the ground with disgust, fists curled into tight balls. "Why didn't you warn me that you worked for them?"

"I don't owe you anything, brat. Did you fix that little bitch his cake? Doflamingo wouldn't stop hounding me about it."

"I did," Sanji answered after a few moments, biting back the snap he felt at the edge of his tongue. It was one thing for Sanji to call Law names, but to hear it from other people – he didn't like the feeling it gave him.

"If you do manage to make an 'in' with them, it won't be for long," Zeff added. "They're all going to die soon. Tolerate them if you can't live anywhere else because of Rayleigh. By the way, it's real inconvenient for me that you caused him all this trouble. All he wanted was one thing, and he would've left you, moved onto the next. All you had to do was tolerate it, boy. Hearing him bitch about it was really troublesome for me. He won't let it go until I feel obligated to give him something else, and at this age, I've nothing more to give."

"That's not what _I_ wanted. I don't want that – "

"It's not up to you, what _you_ want. It's what was obligated at the time of the agreement. You failed at your duties, and now, nobody's going to want you, seeing that you skipped out of your committed responsibility. Get out of here. I'm free, I want my freedom. I see your face up here again, it'll be your last," Zeff added on a warning, turning and walking back to the cabin. "Oh, and if that guy comes back around, tell him he still owes me that horse! I've been waiting for it!"

At the slam of the door, Sanji exhaled slowly. But he turned to look at Ussop, shrugging. Ussop looked on the verge of tears, biting his lips inward.

"What are you so upset about?" Sanji snapped at him.

"It fucking _bothers_ me that he can talk to you like that!" Ussop near sobbed, covering his face.

Sanji waved it off, stuffing his hands into his pants' pockets. He reflected on Zeff's words, and felt heavy weight in his stomach. The conversation had been exactly as he'd thought it would be. Nothing Zeff had said was new to him. He felt a presence behind him, knowing it was Zoro, trying to find something to say.

He exhaled noisily, hands in his hair as the heaviness of the situation weighed on him. "Damn. I guess it can be seen that way, right? Running away from my duty just because it was unpleasant. If someone were to consider hiring me in the future, they're going to look at this funny."

" _Sanji_ \- !" Ussop cried with dismay.

"It's true!" Sanji snapped at him. "Marriage is a _duty_ , right? It's two people coming together to provide and respect each other for a task. And if it was true that he'd move on, I'd only have to endure it for a short while. Running away from it now because I didn't like it…it's not going to reflect well on me. It's only shown that I'm incapable of handling difficult tasks."

"Maybe hitting him _real_ hard would knock sense into him," Zoro mused out loud. "Because all I'm hearing is crazy, from him."

Ussop wiped his eyes, sniffling. Then he reached out and grabbed Sanji's shoulders, not looking at him. "Are you satisfied? Can we go, now?"

"Yeah. I'm done. Ussop, there's no need for those types of dramatics," Sanji then scolded, frowning at him. "Why are you so upset?"

"Because you're a fucking _person_ , not a fucking trading tool! He had no feeling at all talking to you! He disrespected you, barely even looked at you! Talking to you like you – like he hadn't taken care of you since you were a child - ! How could someone be so cruel?"

"Ussop, I knew what he'd say, and I was fully aware of what he considered of me," Sanji said, pulling him along as they made their way from the cabin. "You even warned me, repeatedly, that the things he'd said were going to be very difficult to hear. The only thing I'm truly disappointed in is that he was right."

Ussop jerked his arm away from him, yelling, "He wasn't _right_ in any way! He's a heartless creep! Selling you off to some old geezer for a _house_? And what's this, Rayleigh has others like you? Hooray for bigamy, right?"

"If it meant he moved on and left me here with a claim, then so _what_? At least I'd have work, at least someone could rely on me. I'd appreciate it if you just dropped it, okay? You're only making yourself that much more upset."

Ussop punched him in the chest with a growl of frustration then ran ahead, Sanji pausing in place to rub the spot with a scowl. Zoro frowned at Sanji, unable to think of anything to say.

The wind rustled through the trees, and Sanji looked up at the sky to determine the amount of time they had, to see if there were any incoming storms. All he saw was a heavy canopy of branches, thick foliage. He had more questions, but he knew he wouldn't get them answered by Zeff after this point.

"So…that's it?" Zoro asked him, after walking alongside him in silence.

"Yes. That's it. That's all I needed."

"None of that was satisfying. It just left a lot of things open."

"I don't care. I don't care much of anything, right now. I got what I wanted. It's time to move on."

"Ussop's right, you know."

" _Shut up_! Okay? _Shut_ up! It's done and over with! I don't want to talk about it anymore! Move on, stupid moss breath."

Zoro rolled his eyes as Sanji strode ahead, following after Ussop as they made their way back down the mountainside.

: :

By the time Sanji woke up in the castle the next day, his legs were heavy with overuse. His calves stung, his feet were tired. He thought about the encounter with disappointment, feeling a little guilty that he'd waste the pair's time. He should have just listened to Ussop's advice in the first place. He threw aside the blankets, then drew them back over at the intense chill in the air. Shivering, he grumbled as he burrowed back into the warmth and wrapped his arms around himself. He listened to the fire crackle noisily in the fireplace, the faint sounds of laughter somewhere within the castle's depths.

He still felt relieved that he wasn't waking up in the house with Rayleigh. But this was weighted with some guilt. He felt as if he'd skipped out on his duties, and the feeling made him sick. He threw aside the blankets once more, and proceeded to get ready for the day.

By the time he made it down to the kitchen, it was already warm, candles flickering neatly. He went about making Law's breakfast, wondering what he was going to do about the rest of his time here. He still found it amusing that this weird crew wanted him to fall in love with Law. What was he supposed to fall in love with, anyway? What part of Law was considered attractive? It was almost similar to him being forced to look at a beloved housepet in another manner.

But then again, under all that fur, dirt and fleas was a man. A very childish man – probably with dark hair, with amber eyes. Sanji envisioned the kid's portrait in the Great Hall – there was no indication that this kid had any potential to be a good-looking guy. He was just a bratty face with a pouty scowl. Sanji couldn't even imagine what his true voice would sound like – Beast's words were underlaced with a heavy rumble, distorting any human sound he could have. While he sometimes stood upon his hind legs to walk like a man, he preferred walking on all fours – his huge hands were reflective of this, thickly callused and scarred. All his fur kept Sanji from even seeing what sort of shape he had – just big and hulking on top, with long, spindly legs that curved like a dog's. Did all that mane mean Law had long hair? Or was it short, medium length?

_How the hell was he supposed to fall in love with a beast?_

He snorted. These people were crazy if they thought that was possible.

What, was he supposed to fall in love with their conversations? And _what_ conversations? Law couldn't even keep himself on the same track without erupting into fits of anger or irrationality, and, besides, Sanji couldn't find many things to talk about, anyway.

He took that back immediately. He could always say things to Beast, and Beast always had a reply. They did talk well – Beast was receptive of Sanji's words, and often asked questions, labored onto something else that Sanji latched onto and returned.

He put the knife down, tilting his head to reflect on this. Yes, he could talk, and they had fine conversations. But _that_ wasn't going to make him fall in love.

He snorted, resuming his actions.

How could these people think that this was even _possible_?

When he saw Beast a few hours later, he walked into the largely empty dining room with a drag of his feet, smacking his lips. Sanji had not seen him at all during the trip, and wondered what he thought of it. If he'd even been close enough to hear the encounter between himself and Zeff. He sat at one end of the table, making a monthly menu plan, completing a grocery list for the castle occupants to go out and find – he was really curious how these objects were able to steal off with food and supplies from town. How was it all transported from the village?

Law plopped down near him, yawning. Then curled up on his side, stretching.

"I'm assuming you didn't get much sleep," Sanji stated, setting the quill down, wiping ink from his fingers.

"I was busy."

"How should we do this?" Sanji then asked, watching him scratch his furry stomach, then proceed to roll on his back and scratch awkwardly. "Do you have fleas, you shitty mutt?"

"I think so. I fucking _itch_. I need a bath, but it's too fucking cold. Plus, I'm just going to get dirty again, anyway," Law complained, twisting this way and that. He ended up knocking a couple of chairs down and laid there, as if worn out from the entire action. Facing the other way, Law didn't move for some time, and Sanji wondered if he'd passed back out, again.

He scratched his shoulder, wondering if fleas could travel to humans. Moments later, he heard Beast snoring, so he picked up a wad of paper and flung it at him.

"Get up, you shitty creature! You're so lazy! We've got work to do! If you want to submit pies to the Festival, we should go out and gather berries."

"You said it was a bad idea," Law grumbled, unmoving. A gusty sigh left him. "I just want people to suffer."

"Not all of them are bad," Sanji admonished. "Why don't you just focus on the ones that made you angry the most?"

"No, _all_ of them contributed to this, _all_ of them are my mortal enemies by default. They're the ones that found and paid Tsuru to do this."

"But you should really be mad at Doflamingo."

"I am! But…the village contributed to this, as well." Law rolled over with a huff, then straightened the chairs. He stood up on his hind legs, yawned and stretched again. He sat in a chair, awkwardly fitting himself to the table, arms splayed over. He then let his head hit the tabletop with a loud thump. "I stayed up all night reading Baby's stupid books. My eyes ache. More from the horror of learning what women expected from a man. It is these unrealistic expectations that causes at least 95% of women falling out of love with their husband, because they think that this sort of romance is attainable. Well, it's bullshit! It's so much pressure!"

Sanji narrowed his eyes. But he held his tongue.

"You would consider doing all that stupid shit to woo someone, who'll only discover what a fake you are later one?" he muttered. "Leading them to resent and hate you for what you've done?"

"I don't care at this point, because I only want to be human. My original plan to win back our humanity was best," Law muttered into the table. "I wanted to slaughter the entire village, but keep only one victim alive. I'd keep them in the dungeon, and they'd only fall in love with me because I'd be the only one to give them any kindness. Food, water, blanket, etc. And I would have fallen in love with the concept of having a victim all to myself."

Sanji threw his empty teacup at him. "You're such a fucking loser! Of course that wouldn't work!"

"It would've worked! But Doffy said I couldn't do that because he wants to be human, too. That big baby," he muttered bitterly.

Sanji bit his lips to keep from saying anything, but he couldn't resist asking, "Were you the type to torture small animals when you were a kid?"

"What? NO! I'm not a psychopath, I just hate the villagers and want them to suffer. Their animals would be safe."

Sanji rolled his eyes. "Well, has your victim been picked, yet?"

Law glared at him, tapping his claws on the tabletop. "No, because you took Ussop all to yourself. _Selfish_."

Sanji returned the look with a level frown. "He was _my_ friend first, it can't be helped."

"Listen, Sanji, this is a serious question," Law then said, pushing away from the table and walking around it, then pacing up and down the other side. After the events of yesterday, Sanji felt his shoulders stiffen – he wasn't sure if he were ready to talk about what happened yesterday.

He nodded, prepared to handle whatever it was that Law wanted to ask.

The Beast sat nearby, tail fluttering over the floor with agitated action. Sanji looked at him, wondering if Law resembled more bovine with dog features, or dog with lion features. It really was a toss up, as if Tsuru had thrown in all variations of animals into the Beast's make-up and gave him only that.

"Once married, do you think it's appropriate to address them by their given name, or by a pet name? Because I really don't think I can come up with a pet name – you think they'll be offended if I just let Baby pick one – ?"

Sanji threw his tea saucer at him with an impatient growl. "How is this a _serious_ question?"

"I have a fucking timeline I drew out, and this was part of it!" Law snapped at him, avoiding the thrown object effortlessly. "I don't know whether to add it between when it's appropriate to shit in front of them, or when it's acceptable to tell them when _I_ have a headache when it comes to sex."

Sanji stared at him for several moments, then erupted into stiff laughter. "Are you _fucking serious_? You drew out a timeline to follow for after you marry this unfortunate sap?"

"Of course!"

"And one of them is… _stupid_. You're so stupid," Sanji commented, unable to suppress the chuckling he uttered.

With an insulted gesture, Law argued, "Look, it's good to plan ahead! Because I feel better about things when I've planned ahead!"

"This sort of thing is the least of your concerns. You must focus on the here and now of whether you even gain somebody's favor!" Sanji cleared his throat. "Can I see this timeline?"

"Yeah, sure. I warn you, though, I spent a lot of time on it, and if you see anything that doesn't seem to fit the mood, you must point it out so I can correct it."

After they'd left, one of the chairs muttered to the other, "You have your grave dug, yet?"

: :

Sanji caught sight of the black rose, floating without aid just above a corner table. He ventured towards it as Law closed the windows open to the north, and opened one by the bed. The rose glimmered with an impossible sheen, and looked only as if its opened petals were glazed by varnish. There were a few scattered underneath, brittle and dry. He tried to imagine the powerful Enchantress casting a spell over the castle and presenting the rose as a ticking hourglass. How frightening it must have been for the rose to bloom on Law's birthday, everyone in the castle suddenly aware that their time was running out.

He once again felt a terrible pang in his chest at the thought of those children in the Great Hall dying because Doflamingo had been an ass to the villagers. While he got that the people feared the man, he still didn't think the kids should have to be punished. He turned away from the flower with a sense of unease, seeing that Law had gathered up all his scrolls from the canister next to the massive desk in the corner.

Sanji was impressed. The scrolls unraveled in front of him were filled with neat handwriting that must have been applied with the use of a ruler. There were expressively drawn diagrams, outlines, and anatomy models with little notes to them. One of them had things like, 'Sensitive area here', 'Protective gesture applied with firm force for exactly five seconds,' 'three strokes exactly, with hard press of thumbs in alternate motions'.

He bit his lips.

"Law. You're…you're planning… _hugs_?"

"Those things look hard," Law admitted, a little stumped. "I see people doing it all the time in town, and while I understand that it is a gesture of comfort, I can't imagine pushing my body against another's."

"Because you're a fucking _monster_."

" _That's_ the problem! I'm too fucking huge and gross, and I have fleas, I'm certain of it. Everyone likes hugging dogs, or even cows, but when it comes to something like me? It's fucking difficult. So I figure if I draw them out and apply some solid evidence and information on How-To, I should be able to do this successfully."

"Hmm."

" _What_."

"Well…I mean, this is interesting and all, but…maybe you're overthinking it. Maybe you shouldn't worry about this sort of thing. I think that when the time comes to hug someone, it'll happen without you thinking about it," Sanji muttered. "Really, with all of these, you're basically following Baby's footsteps. Giving yourself unrealistic goals. How are you going to live up to your own expectations?"

Law frowned at him, then stared. He stiffened, then sucked in a startled breath, pacing frantically.

" _FUCK_!"

"STOP YELLING IN MY EAR!"

"OH _FUCK_ WHAT A WASTE OF TIME!"

Sanji clamped his hands over his ears as Law shouted, throwing his scrolls around.

"HOURS! _WASTED_! After all that shit I told Baby! _FUCK_!"

" _I heard my name_!" Sanji heard Baby's voice shout faintly from across the courtyard. "I'm coming!"

He looked back at Law, who dropped where he'd been standing, whining piteously. Sanji then rolled the scroll back up and resealed it. He heard Baby bellow out that she was seconds away, moving steadily into the castle.

"You really are a whale's dick," he commented lightly. He found another scroll and opened that one; he kept expecting to see this alleged information sheet about himself, and wondered why he felt so nervous about it. This scroll contained elaborate conversation scenes, down to the hand gestures, topics, to total minutes that should be spent on a polite debate. He snickered.

"SHUT UP."

"Look, I understand you're stressed about this, but this is going about it all wrong," Sanji said, rolling the scroll back up and resealing that one, too. "Let's talk about this in a different manner."

"I don't want to. I'm just…all these hours… _wasted_. And you're right, I just built up a stupid wall for myself to climb, and…looking back, I just felt obsessed with knowing every detail because I just want it to be perfect. I just want to be a fucking human again."

"Maybe I unconsciously did this because I don't have any hope for myself," Law then mumbled, rolling onto his side to face the fire. "Deluded myself with all these hopeful fantasies for a future that I know I won't have."

Sanji said nothing for a few moments, reflecting on his words. But he held himself back because he wasn't sure if he should feel anything for the Beast at this moment. Was this just one of his tactics, to lure Sanji out by his heart? To lead him with his sympathy and pity?

"I think that it'll work when you're with the right person," he said slowly. "I think it'll happen eventually, when you don't even have to think or plan anything. Things just…flow."

All he got from Law at that moment was a pathetic thump of his tail on the floor, and another gusty sigh.

"I'm HERE!" Baby cried, bursting into the room. "You howled my name?"

"GET OUT OF MY ROOM! I DIDN'T CALL FOR YOU!"

" _YOU DID TOO_!"

"Quit denying Baby when she's trying to be helpful!" Doflamingo's voice boomed out from somewhere down the hall – faint, but noticeable. " _LAW_! Let Baby help!"

"YOU CAN'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO, DOFFY!"

Sanji rolled his eyes and went about picking up all the scrolls that Law had tossed. He resealed them and stacked them into the nearby canister, sitting at the desk Law used. All around were inkwells, various quills, ink pens. There were rulers, a couple of abacuses and strange half circle angles – there were books on a hutch atop of the desk top, with a clock ticking away at the corner, and various candles all over the edges of the desk surface, melted over one another. He searched for any sign of his name anywhere, but everything was tucked, folded and shelved very neatly – in alphabetical order, he realized, every spine labeled. He looked for the 'S' letter, and saw a somewhat new leather bound journal there. Looking over his shoulder, he watched Law toss Baby out of his room, but several other objects were rushing in, yelling at him, along with Machvise and Pink, trying to keep the door open so Doflamingo could scold him for denying Baby's help.

The shouting and complaining was enough to make Sanji's eyes roll to the back of his head. He pulled the book out and opened it, searching for his name. It was a book full of 'S' subjects – sky, stars, silverware, slinkies (!), the color silver, the sea, and finally…his name.

He skimmed through it quickly, flipping through a few pages, then sensed a lull in the silly fight at the door. He put the journal back, then sat stiffly for a few moments. The contents mystified him – he couldn't even find any anger in him to react with. All of it together was _just_ …he looked at his hands with a new sense of awareness, brow furrowing. He scanned the hutch for another journal with a rising sense of disbelief. But there had only been three pages, and they were mostly drawings.

His lips twitched with genuine mirth. He battled it, to keep it from showing and giving himself away. He couldn't reveal that he knew of Law's intentions, just yet. He looked around the desk again, then found a quill – he wrote a little note under the first blank page, then rose from the desk, putting the quill aside.

"I'm going to go out and gather berries," he told Law. "Are you coming, are not?"

"I guess so," the Beast answered, scratching his head again. Sanji looked at him with disgust.

"Forget it. You need a flea bath. I don't want your dirty friends jumping on me."

Law switched to scratching hard at one hip, then up as far as he could go up his back. "There's no point taking a bath, right now. Then I can't go outside for six days."

"Fine. Tell someone to go into town and have them bring some flea prevention shit. How about if I just get the scissors and cut everything an inch down to the skin?"

"How about 'no', you sick bastard? I'm going with you. There's usually bears in that area, anyway. Huge ones, taller than me! Grizzlies. Hey, c'mon! Let's go, now, they're usually taking a nap during this time of day."

Law hurried out, barking out something to someone nearby, a complaint following after him. Sanji followed, shutting the door to his room with careful action. He looked around the hall, wondering who Law had spoken with, and, while he knew someone was there, he just wasn't sure what they were.

He followed after the Beast, hands folded behind his back, struggling to repress a grin that wanted to crack his face in half.

: :

That night, Law yawned noisily, scratching the top of his head. He pulled out his 'S' journal, and filled an ink pen while the candles lit up without prompting.

"He left you a note," the clock said from the hutch. "He was snooping through your things."

" _Haah_? Damn, I hope he didn't look through my R volume, how embarrassing," Law muttered, ears flicking as he looked over his desk with worry. "Which book was he looking at?"

" 'S' volume. He was looking for something specific. This was a planned attack."

Law reached for that journal and pulled it out. He flipped through it, then looked around his desk for this note. He lost interest in that and flipped through the pages until he came to the page marked 'Sanji' on top of it. He was mortified, trying to imagine what Sanji was thinking as he looked over the information that Law wrote of him. Admittedly, he kept notes on everybody – it was just another small thing he did to pass the time, to keep his mind busy when the thought of living and dying as a beast became too overwhelming.

He'd drawn Sanji's eyebrows – detailed their shape, depth. He'd added the shape of his eyes, the length of his eyelashes. He couldn't imagine the shade of Sanji's eyes, having seen only black and white for years, but they appeared very light to him. He was resolute on ‘cerulean’, the meaning of the word fitting what he could only imagine as the appropriate color. 

Corazon startled him as the hand mirror appeared at the edge of Law’s desk, hopping up and looked over his hands to see what he was doing.

"What sort of notes will you be adding today?" Corazon asked curiously, tapping out a small beat as his voice sounded excited.

"Well…" Law looked through the notes he already had. He'd written down Sanji's favorite curses, mused over which frown signaled the mood he was in, and drew four different faces with different smiles, trying to pin down which one looked more 'natural' – Law was trying to unlock the mystery behind Sanji's unwillingness to smile, and theorized snaggle teeth, overbites, underbites, self-consciousness over uneven teeth, big teeth, small teeth; that particular subject took up an entire page. Another page was dedicated to what Sanji's entire face looked like without hair hanging over it, with several different variations placed on that. Then the last page had the exact number and placement of burns, scars and characteristics of Sanji's hands, with detailed notes and drawing. Right down to the right index fingernail, that looked as if it had been cut too short and was growing from the pink; the freckle on the inside of his left middle finger, the crook of his right pinkie. The skin over his finger knuckles were just as detailed, as were the hairs on the backs of his hands, his fingers. Small details that seemed impossible to notice were caught on print.

"I don't know. He's really hard to figure out," Law said on a sigh. "One moment I think I know where his mood's going, the next I'm ducking rocks or berries while he screeches about something. When I think he's going to laugh again, it turns out to be a sneeze. _Then_ I just forget what exactly I was talking about in the first place, and find myself just talking without a plan, then _suddenly_ , we're walking home. It's really frustrating. I have no notes on him, really. These pages are blank because I can't seem to pinpoint a thing."

"I…see that."

"He's not upset at all about that thing with Zeff, yesterday. He's not showing anything about it bothering him. The other two were really distraught. I thought hunter Zoro was going to stab the old man in the back, the way he was holding that knife, but I thought – _hey_ , if Sanji doesn't feel bothered by his words in any way, why feel anything else about it? That's his old man. He knows him best."

"It sounded really cruel, Law. That man was always a little short in the brain," Corazon said. "He really did think of Sanji as nothing but a servant, or a worker. If you think about it, that's probably all Sanji thinks of himself, as well. He probably doesn't know how to think of himself any other way."

"Which is true, that's all he talks about. But then, I think he forgets when he's cussing me out over something or another. I don't know, Cora. This is…really difficult. I don't know _where_ to start wooing him," Law said with another sigh. "I feel that he's very guarded, but he reacted very positively to Baby's shit writing. There's no way I can pull that with him, because I end up barfing just thinking about it."

"Stop thinking about yourself!"

"Talking to him has been…very interesting. I lose track of time when we do. He is…he's young, but he's also like an old man," Law added thoughtfully. "Yeah, he's still a kid, but he's just got this air around him, like…he's already aware of how the world works, and it isn't going to change one bit, but he's…searching for something to prove him wrong. Like, it's an _optimism_ , but it's not one of those optimisms that's really obvious. When I talk to him, he knows exactly what I'm talking about, but then I find myself catching him off guard, too, and I really really _really_ wish I remembered what I said to make him do that, but I'm flying off the handle for something or another. For some reason, it's very easy to talk to him, so I think that's why I lose track of time and subject when I do. I just wish he'd reveal more about himself instead of asking about me and my thoughts, but when I try to return the gesture, he throws me off. I don't think he wants me to know about him, and that's…it frustrates me, but not in the way that I thought it would. I'm not sure how to describe it."

The clock and Corazon had gone very still at this moment, just listening. Law tapped the pen atop of the book with a frown, then added in neat print, 'Checklist: Test Subjects. Favourite colour. Favourite bug. Favourite season.'

"I will try these tomorrow. They're fine conversation starters. I don't think he talks about himself enough, this is why I'm having a hard time trying to figure out what sort of person he is. He's either with low self esteem, or none at all, so he doesn't seem himself as a human being. Which is going to cause me trouble, because how do you talk to an alien?"

" _ **Cora**_ – " The clock whispered, to which Corazon shushed him quickly.

"Law, _ahem_ , how did he like the clothes we had made for him?" Corazon then asked, catching his attention.

"Huh? What clothes?"

"He wasn't wearing them," someone said from behind them, causing Law to look. It was Dellinger, sliding his way into the room and shuffling over. "I've never seen him wear anything we made! Maybe he thinks they're stupid."

"How rude!"

"After all the time spent getting his measurements and picking out the colors!"

"I never even noticed what type of clothes he's been wearing," Law confessed, looking startled. "Should I have? Is that something important that I should bring up?"

" _I_ notice," Dellinger said. "He wears those ugly pants with patches, and that ugly shirt that looks like an old pajama top, and he'll only wear Ralph's shoes inside. Otherwise, he'll wear his old ones going out."

"He seems to be the type of person that's not used to nice things," Jora contributed, jumping up onto the desk and looking down at his notes. "Are you just writing crap to pass the time, again? Because what is this information going to do for the rest of us?"

"Hush, Jora! Let him think!" the clock scolded.

Law added another item to the checklist. 'Clothes'.

"Look, I watched him interact with those two all the way up and down the mountain, and I've come to the conclusion that he really does not like Zoro. I think Zoro is much too aggressive with him, so he reacts with fear, not discomfort," Law said, tapping his pen atop of his journal. "And he lets Ussop say that he wants, to comfort Ussop. You guys, Sanji is a really is a caring person, and he's careful around those he's closest to, to not offend them. Cook and Ussop really get the most of his affections. Which is really odd, because he did not learn it from Zeff."

"Zeff was such a cranky old bastard."

"So _mean_!"

"He was really harsh."

"Can't imagine that type of man even raising little Sanji..."

"He said he's originally from the north! And he has his own copy of Noland's fairy tales, so he either finds the book comforting, or he has a sense of adventure in him that he's yet to explore for himself. _Hmm_. I'll add that, as well," Law muttered, writing carefully, 'Noland's.' Then an arrow. 'Map out adventure route.' He got up from the desk, looking on the shelves for his book of maps. Once he found it, he set it on the floor and began flipping through it.

The others clustered together, speaking in frantic whispers.

" _You guys_ \- !"

"You had to be here to hear it!"

"Don't give up hope!"

"What happened? _What happened_?"

"It's genuine! _It's fucking genuine_! The idiot doesn't even realize it for himself! Or else he's a fucking amazing actor!"

"When he saw his notes, he smiled!"

" _NO_!"

"YES!"

Clock cleared his throat noisily. "Uh, sir? Master? You, uh…remember? Sanji left you a note."

" _Haah_? Oh! Where?" Law asked, abandoning the book of maps and returning to the desk.

"Underneath your scroll paper. Top sheet."

Law looked, the others crowding around to look before he yanked the paper from the pile with a snarl, wadded it up, and strode out from the room.

"What was it?"

"Did anyone catch that?"

"I couldn't even see! When Sanji wrote it, he hid it!"

"Damn!"

"Cora! Tell Doffy! Tell Doffy, quickly! Stop digging your grave!"

"What happened? _What happened_?"

"That brat's done it. He's actually _done_ it," Corazon said breathlessly. "I would've never believed it if I hadn't heard, _seent_ it for myself!"

"Saw what? _Heard what_?"

"What? _What_? Damn it, tell us!"

" _Law is falling in love_!"

Jora fainted, Dellinger muttering, "Uh, _gross_."

: :

Sanji jerked as his door slammed open, dropping his beloved book to his chest as Law barged in, waving the piece of paper around.

"You jerk! How dare you!" he snarled at him, throwing the wad of paper into the fireplace. "What the fuck?"

"What? You didn't like me writing about you?" Sanji asked curiously, then snickered as he set his book aside, slipping it underneath his pillow.

"I don't appreciate you drawing leaking, erect dicks over my things!"

Sanji chuckled. "Aw…but you'll have to get used to them eventually, right?"

"What if Baby saw that while she was cleaning my room? _Wow_ , Doffy would throw a fit if she saw a dick in real life! She's such a pervert! She's – anyway, don't leave that shit for me or her to find it."

Sanji felt his face shifting and struggled to keep it under control. "Law, if you're uncomfortable with erect dicks in your room, then you can't – "

"Why are you saying that with that tone?"

"I just…I guess it's a good thing I don't know how to draw a whale's dick."

"Why would you _want_ to? Never mind. _Pervert_. Listen, something came up tonight, and it's very urgent that I get an honest answer from you – "

"It's never appropriate to shit in front of anyone."

"…Never mind that. No. That's not what I want to know. I want to know – "

"Just blurt out the first name that comes to mind when you're looking your true love in the eye," Sanji said quickly. "That's where you'll find your pet name, I'd imagine."

"I'll remember that, and write it down later. _But_! Your…what is your favorite bug?"

Sanji pulled himself to a sitting position on the bed, and blinked at him owlishly. "None. I hate bugs. Spiders, centipedes – _ugh_. Moths. Anything with more than four legs can die in a fire."

"But moths are so pretty. Their wings are so delicate, feathery, and they leave dust behind in your palm when you catch one."

"Don't touch me with your mothy hands."

"Sanji, you mentioned you were from the north? From what part?" Law asked curiously, walking over to the bed and sitting at the edge of it.

"Oh…just off the coast. The largest island…" Sanji trailed off, thinking about it. "It doesn't matter where. I ran away from home when I was young, and stowed away on a ship sailing anywhere. I was so sea sick, I couldn't even…look back and remember where I'd come from."

"Why did you run away?"

Sanji shrugged. "It's been awhile to remember. But I traveled four months on that ship, and when we crashed – "

"'Crashed'? How?"

"Hurricane. Sailed right into it."

"And lived? _How_?"

"I'm not sure. But pieces of it made it to shore, and that's how I lived. I held on. There were enough of us to band together and walk on, and that's when we came to this small town on the coast. They took us in, but after we started healing, it was us on our own. So…I wandered around, and…and that's when Zeff found me. He told me just to follow him, and…and I did. Without looking back."

Law couldn't imagine for himself being shipwrecked onto some foreign shore, miles from anything familiar; he understood the wandering as a child into strange lands and having everything uncertain happen; he understood running away from home. It suddenly occurred to him how similar their stories were. So identifying with him felt so much easier, now.

"You didn't stop to think that he might've been a bad man?" he asked curiously.

"Didn't you feel the same way with Doflamingo?" Sanji returned.

"No. Because he pulled me out from the hands of slavers, and cut the rope at my neck. Having a person like that save me – there was no reason to question that. I never felt like I was in any danger, after that." Law then added bitterly, "After Tsuru's visit was a completely different thing."

Sanji wondered if the village people knew this part of Doflamingo. It was hard thinking of the wine-opener as a bad person after learning what he'd done for the others, here. Even if the Donquixote family was off their rockers, loud, incredibly childish with each other – their bonds with each other were incredibly strong. This was a family he couldn't imagine having.

"No," he answered Law's question softly. "No, I knew when men were bad, and…he wasn't. At that time. And really, all I did was work, and fall in love with cooking, and…I don't remember being a kid for that long, after that."

Law thought about the days he spent playing with Baby and Buffalo in the village. He thought about all the rocks he'd overturned, looking for bugs and other small creatures; skinning his knees racing in the streets, climbing trees, swimming in the creek. He remembered stealing off with sweets from the bakery, making girls cry, fighting boys with sticks. Coming home dirty and exhausted, being read a bedtime story, having Corazon hug him 'goodnight'. His other life – it was the same, but those memories were scattered and very vague, now.

So he couldn't imagine that Sanji missed out on all those childhood things that made being a child fun. He curled up at the edge of the bed, resting his chin atop of his hands with a light sigh. "That's too bad."

"What's worse is that I find the story of a ten year old transformed into a beast a terrible tale."

"I don't want to talk about myself. What happened when you guys moved here?"

"You're so full of questions, tonight. Aren't you tired? I'm tired."

"Which was why you were reading, and not sleeping. Is that an original copy of Noland's?"

"Mm hmm. Want to see?"

"No, we have our own copies. What's your favorite tale out of them?"

"Oh, the one about the pirate that finds a sea filled with all the sea animals of the world. The All Blue." Sanji felt his lips twitch. "When he describes the waters, and the creatures that he can see just beneath the waves – it makes me think of how easy it might be to find something similar out there. All tales are created from one truth, right? So the tale of All Blue, this…I believe this isn't that big of a tale. I think it's a truth."

"You like that kind of stuff, huh?"

"I like to cook, and working with seafood was one of the best because some of the creatures they'd pull up looked like something out of this world! Some of them glowed with moon's light, some of them had stomachs so massive they'd swallowed an entire elephant – "

"That's not possible!" Law exclaimed, but he had to believe it – the sea was grand, and there was no telling what was beneath those waves.

"It's true! I saw it! On the coast! It wasn't even a _shark_ , and just think, Law, there are these types of creatures in the sea that we don't even know about, or have yet to see! Imagine another world inside of another that's just a wave away!"

Sanji continued to talk about All Blue, and Law just listened. After being trapped in the valley for all these years, never seeing the sea up close, Law couldn't imagine the things that Sanji described seeing. So he listened and asked questions, and Sanji forgot to hide himself behind the wall he'd built, letting pieces of himself show.

…Neither of them truly aware of what was happening between them.


	12. the Harvest Festival

In the end, the pies were made, and Sanji prepared to take them to the village later when night had fallen and everyone wore their costumes. Most of the occupants of Flower Hill were making their way there, and it was easy to sneak around when main street was full of villagers, market stalls, and where lanterns cast just enough light for everyone to see where they were going, and not provide detail.

Jora had a costume prepared for him anyway, and she waited for him to be fitted into it before she left with Dellinger. Law sulked on the kitchen floor, looking up hopefully whenever Sanji hovered over his pies.

"I'm not poisoning anyone," Sanji snapped at him, causing Law to lower his head with a grumble. "Besides, you should get a move on to the tower, okay? They should be rolling out the costume parade soon. You don't want to miss that."

"Have you arranged to meet Ussop?" Law asked, rising up and stretching.

"No…I…I didn't tell him I was coming," Sanji muttered, looking away. "I thought that after I'd dropped the pies, I'd…I'd come meet you."

"Why? I'm just going to be sitting up in the church's bell tower, looking at everything. I can't imagine it being any exciting for you," Law added, giving him a dubious look. "With your costume, you can mingle and do stuff with the others."

"You don't want me to join you?" Sanji asked, whipping his head around to glare at him. "Is this something private for you?"

"No, I just can't picture you forgoing mingling with others. Watching from a distance isn't really that great – I mean, it's fine for me because I'm used to it, but you're not. It's probably your first year of freedom, go be a part of it."

Sanji reflected on last year's festival – where he'd served Zeff's cake slices and treats while Zeff served hot chocolate and coffee, and all Sanji had seen were happy people in costumes running about. Zeff had let him go with Ussop after they were all sold out, and he'd had time to sample leftovers from other stalls before joining up in the center of town to watch the fireworks go off. Really, all he'd been worried about the entire time was getting up early to prepare breakfast for the rush the next morning. He had been unable to relax.

It also reminded Sanji of the way Rayleigh had approached him that night, with a sparkler of his own and a cheery joke about how next year was going to be better. It did make him realize that he was free – it suddenly occurred to him that he hadn't yet touched that thought, and didn't know what to do with it.

Presently, Sanji shrugged a shoulder. "It'll actually be my first to really mingle. You're right, I'd worked all the time, so I never really enjoyed anything as a free person."

"Well, enjoy it, because maybe next year you'll be in a different place, experiencing a different festival, and it would be nice to compare the two."

 _And you'll be dead,_ Sanji thought bitterly, staring at the pies. "Maybe," he mumbled.

"I'm going to head out there. If you see any of those guys, have them send me some of those melon things with the ham, please," Law said, taking the stairs up and immediately complaining as Baby, Buffalo and Corazon jumped on him for a ride.

Sanji tied up all the pies into a few tiers, then grabbed his cape. Jora had made him a black robe with a hood, and the hood was decorated with a bird's beak out of papier-mâché, with devil's horns popping up from the top. He only had cut-outs for eye holes, and the hood was ventilated enough to where he didn't feel smothered. He'd made Dellinger cry at the sight of it, so he felt confident no one would identify him.

The Harvest Festival was in full swing by the time he made it down there. Happy revelers shuffled about, sampling and bartering with each other on food and goods, and kids ran through with sparklers, treats and costumes of their own. He gave his pies to a woman manning a station, then another tier to a food stand that immediately set to work on doling out the pieces. The last station he found to take it was cook and his family, and Sanji lingered, wondering if he should say 'hi'. But he didn't – he walked off, feeling safe in his hood, children veering away at the sight of him.

He felt tense and apprehensive – sure he'd see Rayleigh, or he'd hear his name, or – but he felt restless, as well. He'd always been busy with Zeff, his hands in motion, so having nothing to do with no one to do it with made him feel awkward and weird. He kept an eye out for Ussop, for the man hadn't been home.

The street was crowded and rank with intense food smells, and he wandered through it, marveling at goods and crafts, sampling whatever looked interesting. But he felt lonely doing it. He picked up a basket and began to fill it, on the look out for those things Law said he liked. He couldn't help but look over at the church bell tower, spying the opening at the top. Of course he couldn't see Beast, but he felt a sharp pang in his chest, thinking of how many times he'd glanced up there and never realized that a person was there, secretly enjoying the festivities by sight.

As he made his way towards the wishing well, he fumbled with some loose change, and tossed in a coin. He wasn't sure what to wish for. Kids bumped into him, laughing before they took off. Another kid was chasing them with a stick, looking upset. Sanji looked after them, then down at the well again.

He jerked forward when someone slapped his butt so hard that he screeched.

"I knew that lanky form was yours," Zoro said, smelling thickly of alcohol. "Damn. Put some meat on it. I think I just hurt my hand."

"You fucking jerk! Don't touch me like that!" Sanji snapped at him, aghast at his behavior while he rubbed his ass. " _What the fuck_? Don't give me away."

"So? What kind of wish are you going to make?" Zoro asked, ignoring him. "Happiness? Prosperity? A new ass?"

"It's none of your business. Besides, if I said it aloud, then it wouldn't come true," Sanji said on a huff, setting his basket down.

"Where's Beast? I still want my head."

"No where, idiot. Like he'd come down here, anyway."

"Look, I came into this town, expecting a certain thing to happen. It didn't. But I found something else I want, and it's really difficult moving on without it."

"It's not my fucking problem."

"I don't understand. We're the same age. You have hormones, right?"

"No. I suffer from a severe lack of them."

"Oh, so maybe your balls hadn't dropped yet. Maybe that's why that old guy was all over it."

"Isn't it strange?" Sanji then asked, looking at the well again. "A month ago, I would've been married to some old geezer and probably out of town, by now. But now I'm here, talking to you, wondering what the difference was between him and you."

"Keep flattering me like that, and I'm going to think you like me," Zoro said with a grin, bottle in hand.

Sanji lifted the hood to scowl at him then dropped it back down. "You're such an ass. Honestly. There's absolutely nothing I can give you."

"There is one thing…"

Sanji rolled his eyes, crossing his arms tightly over his chest. "Right, well, I'm going to warn you now. I only going to lay there, comparing your dick size to his. Then I'll give you the shittiest advice I can give you to try and get me anywhere _near_ hard, and then get mad when you can't even do that – "

"Ugh, stop, my dick just retreated back up into my body," Zoro complained, making a face. He scowled at the well, drinking. Sanji scowled as well, fingers clenching into his robe, hearing people laugh nearby. "You're right, the more I think about it, I haven't even have a third of the experience that guy has. Fuck."

"You realize humping humans is much different than humping dogs?"

"Fuck you, harpy," Zoro said, without any malice to it. He sighed, and the pair of them stood there in silence, staring at the well. After a few moments, Zoro dug his hand into a pouch hanging from his belt, and tossed in a coin. He took a long drink before belching, wiping his mouth.

Sanji wondered what he wished for before looking back at the well. He still didn't know what to wish for. He looked around himself, watching kids dart in and out of the moving crowds, as people celebrated in homemade costumes, with music and laughter coming from all directions. From this position, all he had to do was glance up to the tower where he knew Law was watching from afar.

He grabbed his basket, then walked off without saying anything else, Zoro looking after him with a scowl. He then sighed with dejection, and walked back to the festivities, knowing he'd lost the hunt.

: :

When Sanji made his way up the tower, he could hear the festivities outside. He didn't miss it at all. He walked into the shadows, removing his hood.

"What are you doing up here?" Law asked him from above, Sanji looking up and seeing him perched on the joists just above the heavy bell, hidden in the shadows.

"I found those things you like," Sanji answered, holding up the basket. "Come down."

"No…it's safer if I remain up here. Just in case. It seems different, this year," Law then added, looking back out at the festivities over the main square, where people were dancing to a mixture of string instruments and flutes. "They're livelier. It must've been a good season."

 _Or it just looks good because it's your last year_ , Sanji thought, feeling a gripping sadness clutch his chest. He looked at the basket. "Here. I'll toss it to you."

Once Law caught it, Sanji then ventured to the window, removing his hood completely. He stood to the side of it and looked out. It was a different view from here, and while he could see everything, hear everything, smell it – it was as if he were looking down at a completely different world. With how detached he felt to it, he felt a little more comfortable looking down at it from this angle. He could find himself getting used to it.

"You found the fruit pops!" he heard Law exclaim happily. "All right!"

"Shut up with your happy voice," Sanji muttered, hiding his pleased expression. He lit a cigarette, turning away from the window so that no one could see the burning ember from the ground. "Someone can hear you."

"Did you find Ussop?"

"No. He wasn't home when I dropped by. And cook was with his family, and…I didn't want to draw attention to myself by revealing myself. I…I am hesitant to even see what sort of thing he'll say," Sanji confessed, crossing his arms. "I know many people had things to say about…about Rayleigh and I."

"Mmf. These melon things are so good. The ham is saltier this year. Did you have some?"

"Yes."

Law startled him by dropping down on the floor, chewing noisily on the mixture, crouching low so he remained out of sight. He held out one of them, and Sanji took it after some hesitation. Then Law looked back into his basket, and held out the last fruit pop.

"I can smell the cherries inside of it, and I think I'm a little allergic to them, because my mouth itches when I eat it," he said briskly, tossing a piece of summer salami into his mouth. Sanji took that, too, and stared at him in silence.

"But I already ate. I brought these for you."

"Sanji, no one else is going to eat it, so you might as well. It's fine to stuff yourself just for tonight. There's no one around to call you 'fat'."

Sanji stared at him with irritation, but he took the items and sat up against the wall. He finished his cigarette, then started with the melon, first. It took some time to even appreciate the taste of it, considering the ash lingering on his tongue, dulling his taste buds. He would just have to take Law's word for it. Beast finished off that summer salami, then looked out cautiously at the sound of fireworks.

"They're getting ready to shoot them off. Since their attention will be diverted, it'll be easy leaving town from this side, here. Will you walk back, or would you like to hang from my back?"

"I'm not fond of the thought of dying, so I'll walk back," Sanji assured him, giving him a skeptical look. He considered the quiet stillness of the church that made it feel as if they were the only ones in the world, with only the festivities as a strange background noise. He was comfortable with it. Having these sorts of moments with Law had suddenly become too easy to enjoy, to relax. He was uncertain how he felt about this, fiddling with the rest of his melon ball before tossing it for Law to catch.

"I threw a coin in the wishing well, but I didn't know what to wish for."

"Is it troubling you? Why don't you wish for something simple? Man, _think_ first before you do something like that," Law scolded him impatiently. It was such a kid-thing for him to say, and Sanji tried not to smile, trying not to be charmed.

"It's just a stupid tale kids tell each other. Someone probably comes by often and scoops up the money."

"Making wishes isn't something I believe in, either. I used to toss a lot of Doffy's gold in, wishing for Tsuru to change me back, and it didn't work. He had the others fish it out, afterward. Wish for something selfish. Something for yourself."

Sanji hated the feeling of picturingh Beast small, wishing with all his might to be human again. It hurt him to feel and see this. "I don't know what I want."

"Wish for a better face."

"Shut up, you're not very helpful."

Law snickered. "Let me borrow your wish, then."

Sanji shrugged. "Sure."

Law looked thoughtful for a few moments, head tilted, then he nodded. Sanji picked at the fruit pop, finding it too sweet for his taste. He removed the cherry from inside, and caught his attention before he tossed the rest of the treat at Law. Beast snapped it up and ate it, licking his muzzle clean.

"What'd you wish for?" Sanji asked curiously, eating the cherry carefully. He spit out the seed.

"I can't tell you. It won't come true."

"Bet it was something lame."

"No, it was really cool."

"You're such a whale’s dick," Sanji commented lightly. He returned his attention towards the window. "Did anybody catch your eye?"

"I wasn't even looking, to be honest."

It irritated him, how Law could admit something like that. After all this time and effort into helping him find someone to focus on, and Law was openly admitting that this wasn't his priority. Knowing that Law _had_ intended on using Sanji made Sanji angry – he didn't want to feel that way after admitting to himself how comfortable he felt in the other's presence, enjoying their time together. It gave weight to the feeling that he was only being used, again. And he didn't want to feel that way, with him.

Sanji was quiet for a few moments, then he muttered, "I know about your stupid plan."

"What plan?"

"I overheard Doffy and the others talking about it. How you're going to try and…and 'woo' me."

"Oh. _Ooh_ , how embarrassing."

"It's fucked up. There's no way it's going to happen. There's no hope for you in me falling for you, you know. It's a stupid concept. It's fucked from the start. That woman sentenced you to die."

Law scowled at him, sitting rigidly a few feet away from him. "Sanji, honestly? Did you really think that sort of thing would work? I understood that I was fucked from the start. I _knew_ this. When the rose started to bloom, I knew our time was up. Yeah, honestly, I was deadset on beating this stupid curse but the more I thought about it, the more I realized how futile of an effort that was. I choose you to focus on because there's no hope in me building a bridge with anyone else, no matter what efforts are placed. But if I can continue to keep the others thinking that there's hope – then our time at the end will be easier to accept. Because at least they _tried_.

"You knew it was impossible, too. There's no reason for you to be angry with me about it, and it's easier for me if you already know. _Look_ at me! You alone know how hard it is for me to even be civil! How the fuck am I supposed to be 'romantic' and courteous? But if it keeps the others distracted, then… _so what_? When it comes to you, everyone comes together and they're encouraging and hopeful and happy, and it's different from what they normally are – the very thought of it gives them life. It gives them hope. Something they hadn't had in a very long time. So…it's easier going along with it. If we're distracted…it'll be easier to endure. We'll just die, and life will move on. I've accepted this. I'm just trying to enjoy what's happening now, so…at least I've tried."

Sanji was silent for a long time, feeling all these heavy, upset feelings in his chest. On one hand, he felt suspicious – wary. Was Law only playing with his empathy this way? Or was he really just distracting his family from the inevitable? Giving them hope made it sound even crueler. They'd be waiting, hopeful, for something to spark between them, but Law indicated that he knew it wasn't going to happen.

Sanji himself constantly told himself it wasn't.

But he understood being cruel to be kind.

Law looked back at the festivities with a tilt of his head. He turned away from it, growling. "I hated this sort of thing, anyway. _Stupid_. Waste of time. All these idiots celebrating and laughing and having fun, and we're just…you should've let me poison those pies."

"I should've," Sanji murmured, too low for himself to even hear.

For several long minutes, Law just faced the darkness of the stairway nearby, saying nothing. Sanji looked at him, waiting for something to say, or something to do. But then Beast left without anything, and Sanji felt worse than before. He wanted to call him back, to apologize – but then he knew how stupid that was.

The fireworks started, bursting noisily up against the night sky, and illuminated the tower room. He didn't get up to look, though. He knew he'd see fireworks eventually, somehow, later in the future. He wished Law would come back and watch them with him, though. It would've been a different experience.

: :

A week later, he stood outside of Law's room with a tray in hand. After that night of the Harvest Festival, Beast had locked himself in his room, angry and upset. Things had been thrown. Broken. Law refused to come back out.

Dellinger slid out from underneath the door with a whoosh of breath, saying, "I unlocked it!"

"Thank you."

"He's really sad."

"I know." Sanji pushed the door open, and closed it carefully behind him. The floor was covered with all the scrolls he'd seen days earlier. The journals that had been arranged neatly in the desk hutch were ripped apart, sheets tossed haphazardly. There were ashes piled high in the fireplace where he'd thrown most of them. There were broken bookshelves, furniture, shredded tapestries – it was impossible to take a step without stepping on something.

Sanji looked at the rose to find that there were more petals lying beneath it. He then looked towards the bed, and saw the huge mound of blankets there. The air had a stale taste to it, as if Law's sadness and despair had turned tangible, making every particle difficult to intake. He made his way to the desk – shattered against the opposite wall, and carefully set the tray full of food there. He looked at the mound on the bed, fiddling anxiously with his fingers. Every word Sanji considered suddenly became difficult to release.

Without saying anything, he went ahead and started picking up the mess. He found tape and began finding pieces of the scrolls back together. Most of the day was spent this way, and by the time night fell, he started a fire. He had put most of the scrolls back together and set them back in the canister, and now he was working on salvaging the journals. He went and made a quick dinner, then returned to the room to finish up. By the time he grew sleepy enough to stop, he had most of the floor cleaned.

The next morning he returned with another tray full of food, and went to work. By mid afternoon, he dropped what he was doing and walked over to the bed, considering the mound. He reached out and yanked the blankets back, finding the Beast curled up there, saying nothing.

Sanji sat behind him, looking out the rest of the room while he felt the enchanted creature sigh quietly. "Come eat, okay? I made you your favorites," he said.

" _Go away_."

"Let's give you a flea bath, first," Sanji then said, scratching his neck. "Okay? Then you can lay back down, and six days will pass safely before you can go back outside. I would like to see a couple of caves to the north. Legend has it, there are two bodies of large grizzlies in each – but their bones are so worn and wasted, that it's impossible to tell what sort they are. Were they male and female? Or woman and woman, and man and man? And why were they entombed there? There were treasures that they were buried with, and any that take them, are cursed for the rest of their life until it's returned."

"Sounds stupid."

"One legend has it that the tomb of one holds the power to grant one wish – I know you're super interested in wishes – but to get it, one must first guess which couple is lying there. Which only comes to question, what sort of bears were these? Were they animal gods? Or half beasts? And who were they important too? I was really curious about it after reading of the valley's legends and myths in the library, the other day."

Law said nothing for the longest time, and Sanji twisted onto his knees, to lay over him and look down at him. He moved long black strands of his mane from his face to look at him, smelling animal fur and thick sweat, and the scent of despair. It was a sour smell, foul, like the Beast was only rotting from the inside out. Sanji imagined that he was, drowning in his hopelessness. It made him feel so intensely for Beast at that moment, finding it difficult to imagine spending yet another week without the Beast's presence near him, yapping on about various things. Which made it only more difficult to think that in a later months, he'd be without Beast completely.

Sanji rested his cheek against one furry arm, eyes watering from the smell. "Get up, please."

" _Go away_."

"Only if you come with me," Sanji said firmly, reaching out to touch an ear. It was surprising not to have it flicked at him. "Law. _Please_."

" _Get off_."

Sanji found himself rolling against the wall as Beast moved, shifting onto his side away from him. Managing to pull himself out from mattress and wall, Sanji brushed fur from his chest and hair, then sat there, looking up at the ceiling. He shrugged.

The next day, he finished cleaning up the floor, then piled all the pieces of broken furniture up near the fireplace wall. He then went to work on restocking all of Law's books in careful piles, and fixed the curtains. He talked aloud, mostly about the things he'd seen and heard during all his travels, and found a pad of paper and some charcoal. He sat on Law's bed, at his feet, and drew all the interesting animals he'd seen, and showed Beast each one, talking about everything he knew about it. Every time Law turned away from him, Sanji followed.

He retrieved the jar of water he'd brought up to the room yesterday morning, and made him drink it. He tried with the food, but Law only turned away and faced the wall. So Sanji continued talking. He leaned back to back against him and continued drawing. Soon, he started drawing things that he remembered from his home, and talking about those.

When night fell, it was cold, so he curled up next to him for warmth and went to sleep. In the morning, he went and requested for someone to bring up coffee, water, some of the bread he'd made a couple of days ago. When it came, he gave Law more water, and a piece of bread. After that, it seemed Law was more agreeable to moving. So Sanji had the bath drawn up, watching bucket after bucket move on their own to fill up the tub.

Later that afternoon, he scrubbed Beast's head and shoulders with the flea soap, and snickered at the amount of bugs that were floating in the water. Law still hadn't said anything, and wasn't moving, but he lowered his head, watching most of the insects flail in the water before dying. Sanji scrubbed almost every inch of his upper body and head, commenting on taking care of his 'big baby', a stubborn ass that didn't have the mind to take care of himself. Teasing him, trying to coax him into replying.

When Law scooped up a handful of them, he flung them at Sanji, who shrieked and ducked, and managed to fall away from the tub in an unflattering mess. Law did end up chuckling.

Sanji dumped water over him to shut him up, and scrubbed harder, grumbling. Afterward, Law did eat, and Sanji finished cleaning up what he could of the room. But he was satisfied that they were moving, that things were going to be okay. As Law dried off, sitting in the sun's warmth from one of the open windows, Sanji used a towel to help. He ended up braiding some sections of his hair, impersonating the womanly barber in town that spoke with an odd accent. Law did feel a lot better after that, itch-free, and he definitely smelled better. When Sanji showed him with a piece of mirror his styled mane, Law grumbled about it, clawing them out while Sanji chuckled and mock complained.

Sanji took a moment to lean against him, enjoying the soft feel of his fur against his face, and hearing the steady thumps of Beast's heart. He felt relieved that things were going to be okay, for now. They needed all the time they could get to continue enjoying every day together. He'd missed Beast's presence in the kitchen, hearing his scheming for revenge, his off-topics, his plans. He missed _him_.

He wasn't sure why. Was it a combination of guilt, sorrow, and discouragement? What was different about Law from Ussop's companionship? Did he just feel these things because life was sure to end for Law? This friend of his, someone he identified with in many different ways, was going to leave him permanently one day, and Sanji wasn't sure how to let it happen. He knew about the plans, and wasn't sure how to trust himself with Law's admissions, but…there was a part of him that didn't want to think about things like that. He just wanted to go back to the day to day companionship they shared.

He closed his head, heaving a heavy sigh, fingers clenching into Law's mane while Law twisted his head to look back at him with a puzzled expression.

"Please be okay," he heard Sanji mutter into his back.

It was a really odd thing for him to say, and Law wasn't sure what to make of his sudden clinginess. It was very unlike Sanji to be this way, after being so prickly and angry. But he looked at his room, at the things Sanji put back together and put away, at the trays of food he'd brought up, at the things he'd done just to get Law moving again. He was very confused, himself.

: :

A month later, after all the snow had stopped and left the valley into a crisp coolness, the ground muddy and unsteady, Ussop made his way across the dirty stream with a grumble. With the snow melting steadily in the mountain tops, the streams, rivers and creeks were full of rushing brown water, hazardous for anyone to be near.

Sanji had wanted him to come along to see this tomb of four bears on Cavern Mountain, and while it sounded nice, hiking out in this weather made him miserable. It was cold, their breath visible, but warm enough to keep from overdressing against the chill. Low hanging clouds dangled from the highest peaks around the valley, drizzled over treetops on the incline of Cavern Mountain. The day was spent walking along a creek, overturning rocks to find critters – which Law threw at Sanji, who shrieked girlishly as mice and rats hit their mark – and examining odd bird feathers – which Ussop collected, amazed at how many bird species he had yet to see.

They marveled at different rocks, crystals, and Ussop chased Sanji with spiders he found. They were chased by a skunk, accidently disturbed a beaver's dam, and found a nice fishing spot. It was, quite honestly, one of the best days of Ussop's life. Sanji brought their lunches, and they ate it overlooking a near crystal clear lake, which Law pointed out was created from a nearby glacier that was hidden between some peaks of mountains high above them. Ussop was surprised to learn just how smart Beast was when it came to things like this – from his childish behavior, he didn't really expect him to know every name and family of every insect, rock, animal and flora they came across. He pointed out medicinal leaves, poisonous leaves, leaves that could serve as a temporary bandage. He showed them bird's nests and named off the species that occupied it. He showed them how to dig roots from underneath certain trees that were able to provide nutritious substitutes if one were hungry and couldn't hunt. He showed them how to trap, where to find the best game, and how he pranked humans when they ventured into his favorite hunting grounds.

And in the midst of this, Ussop watched the two interact. He'd noticed how relaxed Sanji was, how free he was to just enjoy himself. He wasn't snarling and complaining, he wasn't cutting anybody down, and when he and Law crowded around a nest in a tree, he was genuinely interested and attentive to Law's words. He teased Beast with a female bear impersonation, Beast pissed at him, both of them throwing dirty snow at each other and coming up with colorful insults about their manhoods – it made Ussop feel like he was a third wheel, watching Sanji chase after him with a branch, yelling about an apology.

Ussop wasn't sure what to think when he watched them talk. He felt he was missing something, or witnessing something unexpected. They had the comfort and ease of being friends for years, and when Law teased him or threw mice at him, Sanji wasn't trying to kill him, or sulking away to pout like he usually did. He threw things back at him, screeched when he stumbled into the cold stream, and laughed uproariously when Law hurriedly escaped a badger's wrath.

It was nice seeing his friend this way. It was almost as if the old man part of him had crumbled away and left glimpses of the child he wasn't allowed to be, and it rendered him into a different sort of person. And Beast was surprisingly open, himself, and he definitely wasn't the scary creature that Ussop had thought he was. Despite being knowledgeable of the entire area, he reacted with awe at the stag beetle Ussop had found, roared with outrage at being splashed by Sanji, and snickered and snorted as he recalled scaring hunters' from their campsites at night. Ussop wondered what really brought that aspect out of him.

When they found the caves, intruding upon the gravesites within, it was Law that told them the correct genders of the bears.

"These ones are a male and female. The hips, here, they're wider, where babies pass through. You can't tell that from this angle, so I look at this part of the spine, where it separates," Law told them, pointing it out on the weathered skeletons lying in curiously formed shallow graves that allowed old pottery and miscellaneous treasures to surround them. "The others are juvenile males. But I bet they were part of a family, because they're not fully grown. Judging from the parents' size, they were still growing when they're considered averaged size, today. It wasn't that unusual for bears to have children this age still at their mother's side – I'm surprised that the male grizzly is buried here with them, because once a male impregnates a female, he's gone. If he hadn't seen her in a while, and saw the cubs, he would try to kill them."

"If that's so, then you win. You get to make a wish," Sanji told him, crouched over the cubs' graves.

"You are obsessed with wishes, lately," Law said, leaning as low as he could get into one of the graves to look over the treasures buried with the bodies. "Some of these things are water vases, dishes, most likely to serve them in the afterlife. This, here, is actually the remnants of a statue itself, but I can't tell what it is. It almost looks like a human. People worshipped them, but I can't tell what tribe they're from, because this writing is unlike anything I'm familiar with."

"Make a wish, hurry. This place makes me feel like I've just intruded into someone's house," Sanji then said. "Ussop? Are you ready?"

"Yes. This was really neat. I'd never heard of the legend until you brought it up," Ussop said, walking with him. After some moments, Law followed after them, admiring the designs carved into the stonewalls, noting the presence of crystals in various locations.

The three left the mountainside and followed the stream back towards the castle. Sanji made plans to meet with Ussop next week, to go and gather the mushrooms they'd passed hours ago. Law wandered off to investigate a herd of deer he could smell, and Ussop asked Sanji, "So, what's the deal? You're really happy."

"I kind of am," Sanji admitted, shifting the backpack he carried. "I feel, after we'd left Zeff, that a large weight was lifted away from me. I feel like I can be…my age. Does that sound weird?"

"No. It sounds fantastic. I feel happy for you."

"Plus, it's difficult remaining sane in that castle. Those guys, they're so…" Sanji shook his head tiredly, looking as exhausted as a mother to a newborn, "and it's hard trying to avoid being sucked into their fucking insanity, so…I find myself joining in, and…it makes me wonder if I had actually enjoyed life, before. I'm seeing things differently. Law and I have so many things to talk about, it's…like we don't run out of things to say. And if we do, it's fine if we're just sitting there, quietly. I can't describe it. I can't describe that feeling, but…for the first time in my life, I feel really happy."

"You look it."

"I feel it. But it's bittersweet, because the rose is getting smaller, and…and there's going to be a day when I wake up, and I'm going to be alone in that castle, and…it makes me feel so terrible, that I feel like…the same sort of feeling I had knowing I had no hope escaping Rayleigh. It's worse than that, actually. It's coming, Ussop. And I don't know how to stop it."

"The letters I'm running don't seem to be working, Sanji," Ussop said with concern. "I was slapped twice."

Sanji sputtered. "That's unfortunate!"

"Who's writing them, exactly?"

"Baby. She's pretty gifted, so I can't imagine why you'd be attacked. I've read her things, they're…pretty detailed."

"I don't know, I'm tempted to open one and find out for myself just what exactly I'm delivering," Ussop muttered, rubbing his cheek with the remembered feeling.

Sanji regarded him with a clueless expression, then lit up a cigarette. Exhaling smoke, he looked up at the canopy of branches overhead, enjoying the sight of the blue sky. "It's such a beautiful day out…"

"It sure is."

"I wish there were more of them."

"Well, spring has sprung!"

"Heh."

Ussop looked up at his friend, happy for him. He couldn't complain about it when he'd seen Sanji angry and miserable, and he definitely didn't want to think about the future, when Sanji returned to the village alone. He reached out and held his hand, and Sanji squeezed his companionably, and both of them enjoyed the sight and sounds of the forest around them.

: :

In the kitchen two weeks later, Sanji concentrated on icing the cupcakes just right. He was detailing the tops with elaborate flower designs, and Law was in his usual spot on the floor, drawing over some maps with charcoal. As long as he stayed out of the way, Sanji was fine with whatever it was he was doing. The flowers were in a variety of colors – large, almost hand sized. He planned on delivering them to Ussop later, and to include one of Law's 'love letters' to his next victim.

When he'd related Ussop's inquiry to him, Law had snickered, so Sanji was suspicious. He knew Law wasn't putting any effort into trying, anymore, but everyone was so hopeful about it that Sanji's guilt in knowing the truth made him sick at night.

But he understood what Law was doing. He would let it go. He'd resolved to enjoy what time left he had with the bunch, and he was focused on doing so. It wasn't hard – every day was exactly as he'd described to Ussop, and he honestly wanted for nothing else. The affection and friendship he felt for his ill-fated companion was hot and constant, and even if they had their disagreements, they were once again in each other's presence so much that Doffy complained about how difficult it was living with a married couple.

Sanji did wonder how love worked – was it free flowing and comfortable, or was it obvious and difficult, with each side trying hard to make it a working task? He imagined that it was sort of like the thing he had with Law, now – an easy companionship where each side was comfortable with silence or words, where things could be said without reserve, and time passed quickly without notice. But then there was the entire enchanted thing going on, and that was where the wall went up.

Law snarled and tossed his charcoal to the side with such violence that Sanji jerked, squeezing out too much icing. "FUCK!"

" _What the fuck_ is wrong with you?"

"Papercut. _Fuck_. FUCK."

"You're such a fucking baby, it's so embarrassing."

"Shut up. SHUT UP. _Fuck_ , it's right – ugh, it's right between my fingers! It hurts!"

"Get out of here if you're going to cry from a little paper cut."

"It's _right_ between the fucking webbing! Right on the – look. Right in that valley, right in there. Look, it's bleeding! Ugh, this fucking sucks. I'm getting blood everywhere!"

Sanji looked, and saw nothing. He gave him an impatient look, lowering his icing bag to the table as Law licked the area affected.

"You're such a _widdle_ baby."

"Shut up!"

"Show me this alleged injury."

"No, you're just going to make fun of it."

"I'm making fun of you right now, there really is no difference."

"Right there. _Look_."

"I see nothing."

"It's _right there_! It's right in that fleshy part!"

"Still seeing nothing. Stop crying. Fucking cry baby."

Law stood and showed him, and while Sanji looked, squinting to do so, he saw a very thin line right on the ridge of flesh between his middle and index finger; Law blew on it and hissed, clenching that hand within the other. Sanji looked up at him skeptically, shaking his head.

"Hold it out."

Law did so with a dramatic grimace as he continued clutching that hand. Sanji looked again, shook his head, then gave his furry fingers a short peck.

"There. Momma kissed it better," he snickered, spitting a couple of times to the side, feeling the bristle of fur against his lips.

"What the fuck? _Don't_!" Law exclaimed, striding back to his book, huffing and puffing. "Putting your mouth on me, what the fuck."

Sanji snickered at his reaction, resuming work on his flower. Law continued to mumble and grumble, hissing and blowing on his wound, and Sanji wiped his lips again, certain he could feel hair there. He turned to retrieve a tray to set his finished cupcakes on so he could set them to the side. He lined them up neatly, admiring the presentation.

"What should we do for your birthday?" Law asked curiously. "It's in a week. I don't know what your raggedy ass wants."

"I have all I need."

"What do I want, then?"

"It's _my_ birthday! Not yours!"

"If you don't want anything, then I'll just take your present like I took your..."

Once he was finished setting the cupcakes aside, Sanji turned to put the full tray onto another counter. He then realized Law hadn't finished his sentence.

As he was turning to set the tray aside, he did a double take, gasped, and nearly dropped the tray out of sheer alarm, fumbling for a moment before banging up against the counter. There was a man sitting where Law had been moments earlier, looking up at the candles burning on the wall with a stunned expression. He was sitting with the bottoms of his bare feet nearly touching, knees spread wide, and he was holding the charcoal in one hand, map in the other. But he was staring up at the candles with an owlish look, blinking heavily, as if he were having trouble with his sight. The shirt created from the library curtains was hanging around him, showing off thin shoulders and a thinner chest, with skinny arms and a skinny neck.

Tall, thin, with wild black hair that was matted on one side, standing straight up on the other, the man had a rigid facial structure that allowed him high cheekbones with a narrow face, deep set eyes. He had dark, beautiful skin that had only grown deeper since his days as a child, giving him a more exotic appearance. His nose was long and straight, and his lips held with a concentrative frown. Everything about him was long, and that included his sideburns, the fingers that clenched suddenly on paper before he turned and looked at Sanji with a questioning expression before stilling completely. His amber eyes widened, and he looked at Sanji like he was seeing him for the very first time.

Sanji then saw the boy from the Great Hall in those features. Sanji gaped at him, heart thundering noisily as blood rushed to his face. Something significant had happened, and he wasn't sure _what_. But suddenly Law was dropping everything to stand clumsily, and he lost his footing, so used to using all four limbs, saying something that sounded like a word and a gasp as he stared at Sanji with wide-eyed awe. There was noise behind Sanji, so he turned as Law crashed against some shelves, and sent things rattling to the floor, and the noise that suddenly began to build turned into a cacophony of voices.

Right before his eyes, people unfolded themselves from the stoves, stood up from the oven, fell from the sink. They crashed from the dish hutch, rolling onto the tile from the pantry, stood up from underneath the melting candles. All of them with surprised gasps, sudden curses as balance was lost, and Sanji realized he was hearing a horrifying mixture of screams, shrieking, outright sobbing. The castle walls echoed with movement, with people rushing about. One of those that had been the stove hugged herself and sobbed heavily, gasping and crying as she examined her hands, her body. Everyone was naked, covering themselves hastily – Sanji recalled seeing piles upon piles of clothes locked into a room on the first floor, near the Great Hall, and realized where they'd come from.

Sanji leaned against the counter and went utterly still, unable to think as people unfolded from all around him. There were so many chaotic noises that he couldn't even hear the ones he'd grown familiar with. He clutched his cupcake tray hard, and looked back at Law again, seeing him examine his hands with absolute joy from the floor. Touching himself, seeing parts of his human self once again. The kitchen staff were showing joy and elation with their combination of shouts and cries, stumbling over each other, and it seemed as if all of them were making their way to the stairway. They called out names, shrieked with joy, cursed, collided over clumsy movement –

 _Somehow_ , the curse had been broken.


	13. Love

Sanji had to put the tray aside, knocking over a couple of cupcakes as he did so. As the sensation of human presences began to surround him, he felt sweaty and nervous. All of them were clearly uncoordinated, not yet used to their human bodies. Some were crying, upset over the aging of their forms; some were crying tears of relief and joy. Some shouted happily, calling out to loved ones, to friends; some shouted just to shout.

Sanji looked back at Law, and watched the man approach him, holding onto various things to do so. Sanji felt his face flush as he looked up at his friend, utterly aghast at how _different_ he was. Law was staring at him with amazement, then caught sight of the cupcakes, and his expression brightened even further. He touched the frosted treats before picking one up clumsily, examining the brilliance of color. He dropped that and looked at Sanji again, and Sanji couldn't find anything to say at that moment.

 _The spell was broken_ was all he could think, and the warmth of feeling because of that confirmation was something he couldn't quite identify.

From the stairway came the sound of heavy weight, and bodies were sent crashing to the floor. Sanji was astounded to seeing one very tall man laying there, joined by another, until the sobbing of a woman wormed its way to Sanji's consciousness, forcing him to identify it as Jora.

The tallest man had haphazard blond hair, shooting up from his head in a short and straight frazzled mess. The other had longer, lighter blond hair, and he kept swiping heavy bangs from his brilliant red eyes. Both of them were arguing, pushing away from each other, and Sanji identified them individually as Doflamingo and Corazon. Doflamingo pushed his brother down in order to stand, and his legs were so shaky that he clumsily clung to a nearby counter while Corazon grabbed his ankles, and nearly tripped him as he used his older brother to climb to his feet. But both of them were looking towards Sanji with determination, and Sanji found himself frightened at the intensity of their faces. He was also very frightened by the fact that these two very _naked_ men intended on grabbing him, and he jerked backward, jolted out of his shocked state.

"YOU DID IT!" Doflamingo roared, and his voice was louder, deeper, and somewhat more menacing – rumbling deep from that tall, hunched form of his. He was reaching towards Sanji with impossibly long arms. This man wasn't human, Sanji was sure of it. He was _much_ too tall. He turned to escape but Doflamingo grabbed him, and then he was feet in the air as Doflamingo twirled him about with a crushing hug. He smelled stale, like old sweat and dusty feathers and alcohol. Sanji tried not to gag, pushing away from him, but ended up touching his impossibly muscular chest, which made him screech with horror. He ended up recoiling away from him, crying out with mortified action, hands tucked in tight against his own chest. Then Corazon had him, and Sanji was being squished between both of them as they hugged each other, dancing clumsily with joy.

Both of them were as wobbly as a newborn deer. Sanji managed to a glimpse of a very heavyset woman sitting on the stairs, sobbing while she clutched a very scared teenage boy to her chest. He looked absolutely frightened, looking at everyone with huge eyes and a mouth shaped in a wide 'o'.

"Whatever it was you two were up to in here, we're not going to judge you, because the end result is _this_ – we've regained our human bodies!" Doflamingo said, holding Sanji away at arm's length. It was rather frightening to see just how high up Sanji was from the floor, how easily the man handled his weight as if he were nothing. Corazon had his arms wrapped tightly around his midsection, and Sanji couldn't breathe. He struggled to be released before Doflamingo unceremoniously dropped him, and Sanji’s falling weight pulled Corazon off balance, so both of them hit the floor hard, causing Doflamingo to trip over them both.

"GET OFF ME!" Sanji ended up shouting, crushed under their weight.

" _Law_ ," Doflamingo said, grinning wide as he turned to the man standing there, staring at his hands. Doflamingo reached out and slapped Law’s thin shoulder, causing Law to stumble forward and crash against the stove with loud cursing. So Doflamingo attempted to fix it, reaching over and pulling Law to his feet, setting him down hard. "You did it. You bastard, you actually _did it_. We won't mention a word of this beyond this circle, here. This circle of trust – _nothing_ will escape it."

" _Nothing even happened like that_!" Law exclaimed, and his voice was human, now. Deep, slow, and he was startled at the sound of it. He touched his own throat, touched his face, his hair – spent some time clutching it while Doflamingo lurched away and headed straight for the wine basement.

"This is cause for a celebration! For me, mainly!" he announced cheerily, managing to get the door open.

”Things are flopping everywhere!” Corazon cried fitfully, covering himself as an afterthought.

Sanji didn't want to look, anymore – there were too many dangly parts moving about; what was worse was that he was eye level to most of it, and he cringed hard.

"Whatever happened, it happened, and the curse is gone!" Corazon said cheerfully, helping Sanji to his feet. He then lurched forward and hugged Law, and Law shouted with dismay because Corazon wore _nothing_ , and he tried to escape the man's affections with high-pitched desperation.

"NO ONE IS WEARING _CLOTHES_!"

"You're so _manly_ , now! You were just a _wee babe_ when we were forcefully changed - !"

"All because of you! CORA!"

Corazon dropped him, waving away his words with an absent gesture. "It's in the past. What's now is now. Law, Sanji, you two did it! We were starting to lose hope!"

Sanji looked at Law, utterly confused. Law looked at him, and they suddenly looked away, both of them wearing embarrassed expressions. But both of them were bewildered, unable to understand what _exactly_ had happened.

: :

Sanji retreated to his room a little later on – there were so many things happening downstairs, and his mind was a mess. There were upset people, relieved people, people that sat in the hallways with dazed expressions. But they looked at him with such joy, giving tearful and shaky 'thanks!' that he felt embarrassed and flattered by the attention. His face was warm with some emotion he couldn't identify – mortified at the thought that everyone thought he and Beast – no, Law – _kissed_.

He dropped onto his bed, exhaling heavily. The noises were so loud now that everyone was themselves again. Doflamingo was spitting out orders while nursing a bottle he'd found, and Corazon was begging cigarettes from Sanji, so Sanji gave him everything just to escape.

He ran his hands through his hair. As he did so, he caught sight of movement at the window, and gasped once he realized it was a very short, older woman, looking at him with a slight smile.

" _Who are you_?" he asked, looking around his room, wondering what she had been. She was dressed in a flashy flowered shirt, some drab olive pants, with a neon yellow and pink cape clinging to her small shoulders. Her gray hair was pinned up in a tight bun, and she looked upon him knowingly.

"I'm Tsuru. I heard you broke the spell."

"We didn't _kiss_!" Sanji insisted, red-faced. "Nothing like that happened! He had a paper cut, I gave him a fucking pretend kiss on the hand to shut him up!"

"You're so _cute_ ," she tsked, turning away from the window with an amused look. "What? Did you think True Love's First Kiss meant lip to lip contact? _Hell_. Two years ago, a pair of women broke a curse when one kissed the other's set of lips for the very first time, and it wasn't her face she was touching."

Sanji gave her a blank look, wondering if the woman had kissed the other's papercut, too. But he didn't kiss the wound – he'd given Law a short peck on his fingers. How was that considered a kiss?

"The important thing was, you gave him a kiss," she continued, walking towards him. "And there was _love_ behind it, no matter what you meant. Your feelings for him, combined with his own towards you, broke the spell. That's all that matters."

Sanji sat stiffly, looking at the floor with bewilderment. His heart raced, thumped with uneven action. He was _in love_ …?

"How can that be?" he wondered out loud. "I don't…he's my friend. _He's my friend_ , and – "

"Oh, don't make things weird," Tsuru scolded him. "That's why the spell broke. Both of you love each other, there's no need to get weepy over it. Love is beautiful, and it is innocent. Don't overthink anything."

Sanji looked at her, unable to say anything else. But his mind was whirling with surprised things; all this time, this happiness, this _joy_ he felt being with Law – this was _love_? And Law loved him back? But… _how_? And when?

"I feel weird admitting to it. That's…that's some form of bestiality, or something - !"

"Were you guys playing with each other in those naughty ways?" Tsuru asked curiously, causing Sanji to shake his head frantically. "Because that is _kinky_. I never did such things, and look at me. Seasoned in the word of love and relations. I've been all over the world, did all sorts of things with men _and_ women, but never pulled in an animal to – "

"No! _No_! _No_! I just…! We talked! We…being here in this castle, we're together constantly, and…this is friendship. This is…I've been friends with…another man, before, and it's like that, I swear…! I never once thought of Beast – of Law differently, of…"

Tsuru waved a hand impatiently at him, and walked up to his bookshelf, noting all the books there. Cookbooks, Noland's, other titles of interest; there were some titles that didn't belong because they were Law's, left here during those nights they stayed up, reading. "Don't worry about it. How does he make you feel, now?"

"I…I don't know that man. He's…as a human, he's…I'm not certain what I feel," Sanji murmured, trailing off. He sputtered, trying to think of something to say, but all he could recall at that moment was seeing Law for the first time and feeling startled. Still alarmed because he had not expected to see him, nor break the curse with such a simple act that he wasn't even aware of.

"Is he handsome?" Tsuru asked curiously. "Because he was just a little brat when I last saw him. Also, I heard that you were once engaged to Silvers Rayleigh. What the fuck is up with that?"

Sanji had never heard an older woman speak as Tsuru did. He gaped at her.

She shook her head with irritation. " _Men_ these days. Thinking that with privilege, they can do whatever they want to others. They do that, you know, these old bastards. They suddenly realize what they're capable of, and think they can own harems. You're lucky to have escaped that stupidity."

The door opened, and Law walked in, slamming the door shut, locking it. Moments later, there was heaving pounding on it, Baby screaming at him furiously. Law caught sight of Tsuru, and stilled as Tsuru turned to look at him.

" _Ah_! Look at you! Wow, you're not ugly at all," Tsuru said pleasantly, walking over to him.

"You old piece of shit! So! We meet again! _You're_ the reason why this all happened!" Law snapped at her, shoulders rigid. But he did have to reach down and adjust the curtains that he'd worn, which hung dangerously low in some places. Sanji stood up from the bed and went to his closet, looking for pieces that he thought would fit him.

"Oh, ho ho ho! It's not me you should be blaming, dear," Tsuru mentioned, unbothered by his anger. "As always, it was Doflamingo's and Corazon's faults. Equally. I'd entrusted Corazon to do one thing! And Doflamingo shouldn't have been such an evil bully in the first place."

"Here, here, here," Sanji said, coming between them and holding up some clothes, pushing them into Law so that he was forced to catch it. In that moment, there was contact made with each other, fingers brushing against the other's, and it was electrifying. He looked up at Law with a startled look, Law looking down at him with an equally as startled expression, and both of them didn't know what to do.

Tsuru snickered, which broke the awkward moment.

"Go change," Sanji insisted, turning away while Law felt his ears reddening, and then his face and neck, and he hastily turned and found some space near the closet to do so.

With a red face of his own, Sanji sat back down on the bed, too aware of things. He rubbed his hands together, shivering at the remembered feel of contact. Tsuru faced him.

"As I was saying, I'm glad to hear that you escaped his clutches," she continued. "We go back a ways – all of us, do. I can't say for sure what was happening, but it was wrong of him to do so. Wherever he is, I'm sure there's no one to stop him from committing another crime like this one. You're lucky. How did you escape, by the way?"

Sanji clutched his own hands together, resting them on his lap. He felt so discombobulated by everything that he had to think hard about the question. "…Law and the others. They…they risked everything for me."

Tsuru crossed her arms and looked up at Law as he returned, struggling with a pair of capris that ended at knee level. The shirt he pulled on was tight in the shoulders and chest, in near danger of splitting. "How does it look everywhere else? Everyone else just as naked?"

"Still. Most of them have made it to their rooms, now." Law wondered when he'd get used to the sound of his own voice. He cleared his throat noisily, Sanji looking at the floor, embarrassed to even look at him. This man was a stranger to him, and then again, he wasn't. This was his friend – shouldn't he be happy and celebrating with everyone, not embarrassed and shy?

And why the fuck was he feeling these two particular things at all? Because his body had taken notice, or because his feelings, now that he was aware of them, suddenly seemed too obvious?

"I will go talk to Doffy, now. Once I realized the curse was actually broken, I came here immediately." Tsuru faced Law, looking up at him with a firm expression. "I apologize to you, that you ended up suffering Doflamingo's punishment. It was unfortunate the way things worked out, but from the looks of it, it worked out very well. You couldn't have found a more loyal ray of sunshine than Sanji.

"And you, too," she added, looking at Sanji. "Treat each other gently. Loyalty and honesty is very hard to find, nowadays. You can't trust these hoes."

With that, she turned and headed for the door. Opening it, Baby fell in, sobbing noisily, barely covered in a curtain. Tsuru studied her for a few moments then crouched, helping her sit up. Sanji could swear there were sparkles in the old woman's eyes as she said, "Why, you poor, beautiful dear. You're too pretty to be sobbing like this over some idiot. Tell me, whatever is the matter?"

"I wanted – I wanted to be there when – when it _happened_!" Baby hiccupped, turning her purple eyes on Tsuru. She was too aptly formed for anyone to ignore, and Tsuru had a hard time keeping her eyes face level. But she helped her to her feet and helped her walk away, giving soothing words the entire time.

 _What was she saying about old men?_ Sanji thought derisively. 

In the sudden quiet of the room, both men left behind stood awkwardly. Sanji couldn't help but look at Law from the side of his eye before turning to face him, tugging at his own fingers anxiously. Law looked away hastily, seemingly embarrassed.

"So? You're human…you're human, now, how do you feel?" Sanji asked, finding it difficult to do so. There was so much heat in his face that he had trouble concentrating. He took his time to study the other man; he felt embarrassed doing so.

"Uh, it's…I'm not sure, really," Law answered slowly, looking at him. He took his time to really stare, eyes roving over Sanji with obvious study, and Sanji felt himself heat up again, unsure of how to take it. "Now that I see color again, I've been really distracted. Shapes are different. Seeing detail like this is really…amazing."

"Your sight is different, now?" Sanji asked curiously. "Whatever do you mean?"

"Faces were just eyes, light or dark in a face without much detail. No color, just – basic shape and shadow, so really looking at you is just…I knew you had a young face and light eyes with ridiculous eyebrows, but not like this. Your eyes, your coloring is just…so different."

"You're making me embarrassed," Sanji stuttered, looking away quickly. "I'm nothing special."

"Well, I know, there's a lot of people with your coloring at the village, but somehow, looking at you is different for me," Law said, Sanji scowling at the unintended insult. "You're really just a young guy without a shape, hunched shoulders, and these big ears – "

" _What_? Well, you're tall and skinny with absolutely no meat to you, like you're still trying to grow!"

" _Haah_? I look like a fucking man, now! I have a big man voice, and you don't. It's like – "

"Did you really just come in here to insult me, or are we going to talk about how this all came to be?" Sanji interrupted him impatiently.

"Oh. Well…do we have to? We're kind of plotting on getting revenge right now, so I came to see if you'd wanted to join in."

Sanji could not resist pushing him. Law was immediately off balance, hands flailing to catch himself before Sanji did, helping him stand straight.

" _Sorry_!"

"I feel so uncoordinated, right now. I keep trying to use my fucking tail to balance myself out, and when I realize I don't have it – then…nothing is working properly," Law said with frustration, his toes digging into the carpet. But he looked down at the heated feeling of Sanji's hands on him, and stilled. The sensation of actual _touch_ felt amazing. Especially from Sanji.

The teen dropped his hands with an embarrassed fluster. " _Yes_ , we do! I was unaware of this entire thing until Tsuru pointed it out! I thought you were just my friend – I was happy being with my friend every day, and then - "

"You were happy?" Law interrupted curiously, eyebrows lifting. Then he looked away with a one-sided smile, Sanji pausing in mid-eruption. "See, those wishes I made did work."

"Wi -? Wishes?"

"Yes. I wished for your happiness every time you couldn't wish for something. I figured I'd do so because you tried really hard to help us out, so I figured I could repay you with this one thing. It was all I could do."

Sanji stared up at him incredulously. The feelings he suddenly felt made sense. It was too incredible for him to ignore. He touched his own chest, certain that his heart was going to break free as a feeling, both known and foreign, coursed through him. It suddenly occurred to him _how_ familiar he was with the feeling, and realized he had felt it for some time.

"You…you wished for me to be happy?" he asked lightly.

"Because you never really were. It worked, right?"

Sanji didn't even need to think about it. He nodded. "Yes. Yes, I was. _Am_. I am."

"It was weird hearing you laugh for the first time. Like a donkey with a cold," Law chuckled and snorted Sanji staring up at him once more. When Law caught himself, he looked embarrassed. "I'll work on that."

"You're such a dork," Sanji stated, but it was said with so much affection that, once made aware of it, he realized he'd been saying these things with this same tone for a long time. He looked horrified at that moment as Law looked at him once more, catching sight of the emotions playing on Sanji's face.

"Look, I'm surprised, too. I don't know what happened down there, but what matters is that we're changed, now," Law then said awkwardly. "I just…have to get used to these things. Being human. I never thought I'd…never imagined that I'd see my face, again. Or…I mean, seeing myself."

"Come, look," Sanji said, reaching out for his arm to guide him towards the closet. He turned him towards the full length mirror there, removing the cover; Beast hadn't liked looking at himself. Once positioned there, Law looked at himself for the first time. Sanji watched him look at his face, reaching up to touch seemingly new cheekbones, his long nose – watched him touch his lips and pluck at ears. He examined his own arms, suddenly conscious of his thinness. Sanji then turned away with a smile as Law then looked down his own pants, making a shocked expression.

"I feel so naked, right now," Law said, adjusting his pants. "I got fucking _hair_ in places I never did before, and suddenly it's not enough. And what the hell. My dick shrunk - "

" _Shut up_ ," Sanji said with a laugh. "You're not a monster, of course it's going to shrink to size! Dumb shit. Besides it's not the size of it that's important, it's how you use it that matters."

"Who told you that lie?"

" _Hah_!"

"All in all, it's going to take some time getting used to this," Law said, leaning forward to examining his face up close. He touched his chin, used to where the fur had been – now he was just…naked. "I feel really…small."

"You're still taller than most," Sanji said bitterly. He hoped he grew a few more inches, comparing himself to Law's height. He was barely shoulder level with him. "Some of us still need that extra push."

Law looked at Sanji's reflection, then straightened up to see where Sanji stood to him. He patted the top of his head, flattening his bang. "You're a child, still."

" _Don't_ with any child jokes, or I'll flatten your new balls to the wall," Sanji threatened him, looking at Law's reflection with warning. Then he noticed the way Law was still looking at his hand atop of his head. He watched as Law's fingers swept through his strands, combing through them gently, mesmerized by the action. Sanji stiffened, but he felt the heat in his face hit him once again, and he found it difficult to breathe. In the mirror's reflection, Sanji watched Law's fingers fall to the curl of his ear, where his skin tingled before Law actually touched it. He wasn't aware his ears were so damn sensitive – he didn't know what to do as he heard the faint rasp of Law's finger over his earlobe, to his jawline.

And that felt even more intense – his skin was tingly and his teeth clenched, his throat moving with a hard swallow. Every part of him was aware of Law, now, and he was amazed at the intensity of it. Was this what Zoro felt standing next to him, all those times? When hormones took notice and flared to uncontrollable life? This was nothing he'd experienced with Rayleigh, and he felt a hard feeling in him at that thought – immediately shutting out any other thoughts of those horrid memories as this one swept over those.

He looked away from the mirror to look at Law, and Law looked at him. Taking in the shape of his eyes, studying the color of his irises – and Sanji realized that those drawings Law had made of him were things that should have told him what he'd missed all this time. He reached up and touched Law's hand with his own, cupping it within his. Touching his fingers, his knuckles, caressing the sensitive valleys between his fingers.

Law was utterly still, a frozen expression on his face. Sanji realized at that moment he wouldn't get tired of looking at this face. There were still so many expressions of his to see, and he wanted to see every one of them. The want was terrifying to acknowledge.

If he'd fallen in love with this man through conversations and companionship alone, then the physical aspect would be just as easy to accept. He drew Law's palm to his mouth, and gave it a gentle kiss.

"Thank you," he murmured, enjoying the scent of his skin. He smelled his wrist, feeling that response of awareness to the taller man that much stronger. He then smelled him again, and Law was completely rigid because he was still trying to understand Sanji's very touchy actions. He couldn't quite think past the kiss he still felt on his palm. His mind was an utter blank.

"This smell of yours…it was in those flowers on the vine," Sanji pointed out, drawing back uncomfortably.

"F-flowers?"

"Yes. They opened, and they smelled exactly like you," Sanji said, feeling his cheeks warm at the memory. How the smell had made him hard and excited, and it was happening now. He dropped Law's arm and turned away, sitting down hastily at the edge of the bed and feeling winded.

Law remembered Tsuru talking about this, and felt disgusted at the thought of other people knowing what he smelled like. But then again, they only opened to those who were receptive to him, and Sanji definitely was. He looked at his hand, feeling the tingle of Sanji's lips against his skin.

"I feel like I hadn't been touched in years," he said low, almost harshly. "Aside from you…this skin to skin contact, it's…I don't…"

He trailed off, having been unable to imagine that he'd be human, again. It was all so overwhelming for him. _All_ of it. He had to get to know this strange new body, learn how to walk properly, learn to accept himself – accept that he was in love with Sanji.

 _He was_. That was why the spell was broken – both of them were in love with each other. How was that possible, and how did he not notice? When did it happen?

"This is a lot to take in," he mumbled, looking at his hand. He rubbed it with his other – not to remove the feeling, but to press it in. "I'm _human_ , Sanji."

"Yep. This is true."

"All the things that I imagined, only dreamed of happening, can happen, now. My mind is…struggling desperately to keep up. Things will take a little longer than I thought they would."

"It'll be fine, because when taking your time to step back and plan – you'll have a better idea of what to do." Sanji stood up from the bed, in control of himself. He felt more comfortable looking up at Law now. "I want to hear what Tsuru's saying to the others."

"Oh! Right! _Yes_." Law turned away from the mirror, but stumbled, regaining his footing with an embarrassed expression. Sanji walked next to him, steadying hand on his back. It was incredible feeling, to feel that reassuring weight on him; it was amazing how, at all, there was still so much more to come.

: :

When they found the others, starting from the Great Hall to the dining room, everyone erupted into a standing ovation. It was quite mortifying to both to have such attention, and they were given hugs, slaps on the back, _congratulations_ – the impossible had been attained, and everyone was grateful towards them.

Machvise picked Sanji up immediately, twirling him around while Diamante, Trebol and Pink shook Law violently, slapping and congratulating him, alternating between hugging and pushing. It was quite chaotic. None of them had their total balance just yet, so Machvise ended up crashing against the table, slipping over a chair, and the other three tripped over each other trying to administer the most 'affection'. Everyone was so uncoordinated that it was painful.

Once Sanji managed to get free of Machvise, Jora caught him and hugged him to her ample chest, where she then sobbed into his hair, thanking him for 'taking pity on everyone'. The teen that Sanji assumed was Dellinger was still shell-shocked – wrapped in a blanket, looking at everything with huge eyes.

"Enough, _enough_ ," Doflamingo commanded from the head of the table, where he and Corazon sat, Tsuru nearby. Both men had their old clothes on, and Sanji realized just how out of date they were. Doflamingo had some sort of zebra-print shirt on with neon pink pants that looked atrocious, with some ruffles on the collar. It made him shudder. Corazon had a heart print blouse on, pulled over pink trousers, with some sort of furry stole around his shoulders – really, both of them were quite out of place with today's style and out of touch with fashion overall.

"Put them down, leave them be. I'm sure they're quite aware of what they've done, and we'll reward them later. But for now, all of you. It's time to focus on one thing."

" _Revenge_!" Trebol cried cheerily.

"I've been looking forward to this day since it started," Vergo stated gravely.

"I'm going to ruin _everything_ that they held dear!" Pica vowed.

"Yes, yes, we've all got these plans," Doflamingo muttered, gripping the bottle tightly. "But we're not going to do that just yet."

The castle filled with intense cries of dismay, outrage, and it was so much more louder than Sanji had ever heard them give – he was quite positive the village could hear it.

Doflamingo hit the table with his palm, and that caught their attention. To Sanji, it was quite weird seeing the former wine-opener so…majestic. Not only did his large size command attention, but it was that aura of his. It was almost as if Sanji were looking at a form of Rayleigh – where everyone's attention just turned toward him with edges of uncertainty and fear, but also with respect.

" _Quiet_. We don't want those bastards down there knowing we're awake. As a warning, keep the flames down, use the very bare minimum. We'll leave here only at night – please have patience. Presently, we're still trying to get used to our normal forms. Everyone? If you haven't already seen Law yet, look at him now."

Law squirmed uncomfortably. "Please don't. I'm getting real self conscious."

"He's so _ugly_ ," Baby muttered, glaring at him. Buffalo nodded.

"Way ugly, daysuan," he commented cheerily.

" _Both_ of you look like naked mole rats!" Law snapped at them both. After a few moments, Baby started to cry, Buffalo reaching over to pat her shoulder gently.

"Right now, that village has lived with satisfaction of our disappearance," Doflamingo continued, drumming his fingertips atop of the table. "But little do they know, we know absolutely everything about it. We know every family, every farm, every mine, every ship that leaves the river for the sea. We know who runs what business, who's second in charge – we know who the 'warriors' are, and we know where they hide their hunting artillery. This fucking village thought they got rid of us – "

" _Ahem_."

Everyone's attention went to Tsuru, as if suddenly remembering that she was there.

"Calm yourself, Donquixote," she admonished. "They had hired me for a reason. You were out of control, yourself. Killing innocent men in the streets and forcing their families out of their houses because they didn't make enough to pay your taxes wasn't the best of ideas you'd ever had. Perhaps this time away gave you time to consider how much better you can be. Rather than ruling with your own goddamn finger up your ass, why don't you consider ruling peacefully over people that would rather be loyal to you agreeably?"

Doflamingo scowled at her. "How about 'no', Tsuru? And who better to rule my own ass than myself?"

"That's not what she meant, brother," Corazon whispered, cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth. He coughed and hacked before saying to Tsuru, "Listen, the motive is about revenge, now. Not to rule. Right, Doffy?"

"Fuck no, this is my valley. I've lived here for years, it's going to be mine, again."

"Of course."

"Doflamingo, please consider the things you're planning," Tsuru then said over the exchange.

Sanji realized that this was going to be a very real thing. Looking around himself, he was surrounded by hard faces – wrathful faces, all of them angry for living the last decade as an inanimate object. _Of course_ they'd want revenge. He thought of the years he'd lived there himself, and realized, while he didn't have that much attachment to people there – cook and Ussop were really the only ones he'd been close to – he suddenly felt bad for what was going to happen. It was a conflict.

He turned to leave when Doflamingo called him out.

"Does this make you uncomfortable, Sanji? Knowing what's going to happen to the people you'd lived amongst?"

Being put in the spotlight in front of curious human eyes, rather than the hidden ones he'd gotten used to, made Sanji swallow hard.

"Yes," he said stiffly, facing him. "Admittedly, I haven't lived here that long, but – "

"They were quite willing to turn their backs on you when you were put into a pickle," Doflamingo pointed out, and gone was the light hearted way that he used to speak with. As a human, he was much more menacing. Sanji felt that if he said something the man didn't like, Doflamingo wouldn't hesitate to act. That ripple of awareness made him very uncomfortable.

"Yes, I'm aware of that. But I'm not the type to look for revenge when something unfortunate happens to me," Sanji said.

"But you will support this, right? _Us_? We've taken you into our home, kept you safe – "

"All of which I'm grateful for," Sanji interrupted firmly. "You didn't have to, but yet there was an ulterior motive for that, so it's not as if you did it from the kindness of your heart, Doflamingo. But I don't have any loyalty to the village, either."

"You'll just look in the other direction, then?" Tsuru asked him, expressionless.

Sanji nodded once. "Yes."

"That's the same as participating."

"Not if I don't know what they're going to do," Sanji said, walking away. Most of everyone watched him go, and after some consideration, Doflamingo let it go as well.

"Without him, we would've never been human, anyway," Corazon pointed out.

"You're right. I can't be killing people right away," Doflamingo agreed. "I must think before I act."

Tsuru sighed.

Doflamingo looked at Law, who looked a little bothered. "And you? Where's your loyalty?"

"It's where it's always been. I want to destroy that fucking village."

" _Atta_ boy! It's not something you should concern yourself with, Tsuru. The first time, you were asked to step in – this time, you can do nothing about it," Doflamingo pointed out.

"That's true. Well. If there is to be no attention called upon me, then I'll take my leave. Remember, _Doffy_ , who is all looking up to you."

Tsuru then left in a puff of glitter and neon blue colored smoke, and those closest to her coughed and hacked, finding themselves suddenly shiny.

Doflamingo took a long pull of his wine before setting it aside, wiping his chin. "Listen to me. For exactly _one week_ , we will accustom ourselves back into our bodies. We will relearn them, until we are certain we can fight, again. Starting tomorrow, those that want to go into the village may do so – but you must take an alternate route to and from Flower Hill, so that the village people do not suspect us. There is enough gold in my vault to sustain us for at least a year – but we won't need that long of a time to plan. All of you do not mention where you're from. You're travelers just moving through. Buy what you need, gather intel. If you must…leave. And never come back. Is this understood?"

Everyone chimed in with agreement.

"Thanks to our good looks, Cora and I are much too recognizable. We cannot leave. Therefore, I'm counting on the rest of you to make a good impression for us. After a week is up, we'll pool our info together. We'll map out the changes in the village, and we'll plan our attack. All I ask is that all of you remain on hard alert – we don't want to go charging in while we're still weak. Is this understood?"

Everyone shouted to show that they did.

Chuckling, Doflamingo seemed to glow as he looked at the faces that looked at him with immense loyalty. Every single one of them was willing to do anything for him, at his request, and he knew it. "We're going to take this valley back, friends. We're going to be mightier than ever. Thanks to our hard resilience, we've come through this time as stronger people. They might have experience on their side, but they don't have our hard-ons for revenge. We're going to _crush_ them. This is the only thing I've ever wanted once I regained human form. After that, I don't care what happens. It's a new world. Right now, let's make a mess of it, make it ours, again."

Everyone cheered.

: :

That night, Sanji stared up at the ceiling, wrestling with his conscience. The castle was alive, now, and it was a weird feeling. Hearing movement outside the door, hearing the different sound of voices, seeing light flutter through the halls made him feel as if he'd stepped into a completely different world.

He thought of how hungry these people were for their revenge. Twelve years ago, people paid an Enchantress to put an end to Doflamingo, but that was ruined when the spell was sent askew. While Ussop and cook had mentioned often how awful the man was, Sanji knew the other side of it. Doflamingo was a man that cared about his people – that rescued kids from unfortunate circumstances. Hell, he was one of those kids, if he stopped to think about it.

While he couldn't exactly condone what was going to happen, he felt he didn't have the right to step in front of them to stop them. After all, he and Zeff moved in well after the incident, and both of them had kept to themselves – Zeff wasn't big on bonding with others, and he kept Sanji much too busy to bother with it, himself. So he didn't feel any closeness to the villagers themselves.

But he didn't like the thought of knowing that dangerous things were going to happen to them because of Doflamingo. Their fears of the man had been legit enough to hire a powerful Enchantress – that _meant_ something. At the same time, he felt he didn't have the power to do anything about it – he could warn the villagers, but that meant he would be going against Law, too. Revenge was all Law had really looked forward to, and that concept made Sanji's heart hurt. He wanted to be loyal to Law, but how far would his loyalty go?

He heard the door open and close, and stiffened. He rolled over on his side, clutching his pillow.

"Hey, Sanji – ow, _fuck_ – hey, are you upset about these things?" Law asked, bumping into something on his way over. He stumbled over something else, cursed, then tripped over the rug just outside of Sanji's bed area. Sanji heard him hit the floor on his knees, cursing, then get back up.

"Yes," he muttered. "What are you doing here?"

"What, do I have to stay away now that I'm a man?" Law asked, climbing onto the bed, feeling for him. "I can't see for shit. Oh, sorry, didn't mean to touch – "

"It's going to be different, you know, sleeping together," Sanji mumbled. Law had been sleeping on his bed with him these past few weeks, where they'd fall asleep talking about various things, with books, with papers, with past lives hanging in the air and future wishes at the tip of their tongues. Now…it was going to be different.

But he wasn't going to turn him away.

"Yeah, I know. Just…I thought you were really uncomfortable, in there."

"I'm not standing in your way, Law. I just…the less I know, the easier it'll be," Sanji confessed, feeling him settle next to him, atop of the blankets. "I…don't know how I feel, to be honest. Just…maybe I feel bad for them, and I definitely feel bad for all of you, as well."

"I understand. But…but it's no lie, Sanji, what I've wanted. That part was always the same."

"I know." Sanji hesitated for a moment, then lightly kneed him, prompting him to move. "Come under here. It's a lot colder than you think it is."

"I, uh…I don't want to rush things."

"Don't worry, you'll still be a virgin when you wake up," Sanji snickered, amused at the tentative sound of his voice.

" _Shut_ up! Just…it's really weird, I'm not…like, it's not even been a day, and I still can't walk right, and I feel overwhelmed with all these things, all these brand new…things," Law mumbled, climbing in next to him. The warmth and feel of his body nearby made Sanji shiver. He could smell him, again – that musky, salty scent that hit all his senses and made him uncomfortable. "And…and I'm…it sounds weird, but it's like…I know exactly where you are. It's…so different."

Sanji felt relief hit him, upon knowing that he wasn't the only one to feel this. "Like you're aware of me? Because that's how I feel. And it's different."

"Yes. Just…I never thought things would be this way when I turned human. I didn't think there were so many senses that I'd never even …experienced."

"Mmm. Well…there's a bright future ahead of you. Don't rush into it, okay?"

He felt Law nod, and then both of them were quiet. They could hear voices in the hall, movement from the windows. Somehow, it was more quiet outside than it was inside. An owl called, and something flapped up near the eaves. He shifted into the mattress a little more, pulling the blanket over himself. He was so aware of Law's proximity that he couldn't concentrate, his skin tingling with warmth. He closed his eyes, to focus on nothing, to ignore the sound of another's breath behind him. This was different from sleeping with Rayleigh, where he was so rigid and still, not wanting to capture his attention. Much different than sleeping with Zeff, where he'd roll to his back for warmth and security…

He wondered if the old man were still alive in that old shack on the mountains. He felt Law shift, his long body tensing underneath the blankets, and Sanji wondered what he was thinking of. He had the urge to reach out and touch him, to give assurance, because he felt like Law needed it. He was human, now, with so many different senses compared to that of the Beast.

"Can I touch you, now?" he asked on a low whisper.

"Please do. I was afraid to ask," Law answered, and Sanji could hear the relief in his voice. He scooted closer to do so, pressing his forehead against the back of his neck. He lifted a hand, feeling his shoulder blade before scratching lightly along his spine. He explored the expanse of back with gentle rubs. Law was so much smaller than the men Sanji had slept with, that it didn't take long to learn his back, and he wished he could touch more. His curiosity frightened him a little.

He ended up curling an arm around his waist, pressing in close – breathing in the scent of him and feeling butterflies in his stomach. A light fluttery sensation just at the top, where feelings must come from, because he felt nervous, relieved, curious – he closed his eyes and listened to the sound of Law's heart beat, hearing his tense breathing.

"We broke the spell," he said low, feeling Law tense to listen, "so our feelings towards each other are mutual...it's so weird how I wasn't aware of this."

"Yes."

"Did you know?" Sanji asked curiously.

" _No_. Did you?"

"No. I just thought…I mean, I was happy, I just…didn't realize that this was the result of it. I'm surprised."

He heard Law exhale short – Sanji felt that he could feel him thinking. He blinked, trying to think back to a time where his feelings were obvious, but neither of them had done anything special – that he could think of. He started to withdraw his arm when he felt Law grab his wrist, encouraging it to stay on him. Sanji thought about what he'd said earlier, that harsh exhalation of relief, joy – he couldn't imagine being in that position Law had been in, where he felt as if he hadn't been touched by another human hand in years.

"Sanji, I don't want things to change," Law then said, his fingers moving over Sanji's learning the shape of them with his own touch. "Honestly, I'm scared that you expect me to do those things that I'd only complained about now that I'm human, and – "

" _No_ ," Sanji said quickly, covering it with his. "No, stop. Just…just be this. Okay? We'll figure out where it goes, later."

Law tensed. "Wait, we're talking about feelings, right?"

"Yes. _Why_? What'd you think I was talking – ?"

"No, okay. Yes. That's…that's exactly what… _okay_. As long as that's covered," Law mumbled, much to Sanji's amusement. He chuckled.

"Law, I'm not going to rape you, or anything – "

"I didn't say that you were! I wasn't even saying anything _like_ that! Besides, I can feel your dick against my back, and - !"

Sanji shifted away quickly, mortified. He didn't think he was that obvious. " _I'm sorry_ \- !"

"You're getting all aggressive on me, I'm starting to feel really afraid – I feel like you're going to take advantage of me, and I'll just go along with it, because I don't know what the fuck I'm doing."

Sanji laughed and pushed him away, Law turning to face him. He pushed his pillow against him, and Sanji pushed him back, and both of them resettled. But their hands didn't drop, and all they did was explore each other's faces, necks, shoulders – safe places. There was so much tension between them that Sanji felt a mess, and he felt that Law must feel the same. Expectations between them that only cried for something to satisfy it. But he was scared of those feelings – he entwined his fingers with the other man's, and held them firmly.

They couldn't see each other in the dark, but Sanji could hear his breathing; he could feel Law looking in his direction. For awhile, neither could bring themselves to say anything, but they were thinking it. Neither of them could sleep, words building onto their tongues, throats thick with trapped sound. Everything was new and different, yet the same.

Sanji swallowed hard, tightening his fingers over the longer ones that clung to his. "I'm so happy, it hurts to breathe," he confessed heavily. "I get to be at your side for a little longer."

"Same. Just being here with you makes me feel grounded, again. We've got so much to do, together, and I'm really excited about it."

"Me, too."

"Thank you for not giving up on me."

"You're welcome. Are we really that big of a combined idiot, that we didn't know?"

"Yes. But you're the bigger one."

"You're taller than I am, so that makes you the bigger one."

"Heh. Maybe."

Sanji felt his fingers tighten briefly over his, rubbing his thumb gently. He felt so relaxed and comforted that nothing seemed impossible, now. No true worries came to mind. This feeling of happiness made everything better. He curved his free arm underneath the pillow Law was resting on, and drew closer, untangling his fingers from his. A tentative touch in the dark found the older man's face, and he whispered shyly, "Hold still."

He leaned over and found Law's mouth with his, and pressed a light kiss to him, excited at the sensation that coursed through him. It was absolutely nothing compared to what he'd experienced before, and promised everything new for the future. He heard Law give a surprised sound, stroking his hair before pressing another kiss against his mouth and feeling his response.

"A proper kiss," Sanji murmured, touching Law's face again before retreating to his pillow.

For several long moments, Law didn't move. But then he said, "It's not bad."

Sanji tossed his hand away and huffed. "Shut up, jerk."

"I'm sorry, I can't think properly, okay? I'm just saying what's on my mind."

"Such a dick. I'm trying to be romantic, and you're just a dork."

"Shut up, Sanji, I just feel that my virtue is threatened when I'm so vulnerable, right now."

"NO ONE WILL TAKE IT FROM YOU AT THIS POINT."

Law laughed loudly, but it was a combination of snorting and panting, and Sanji mimicked it just to get him back. But almost at the same time, they hugged each other, and it was okay. It felt just right.

He felt Law's knee up against his leg, and then he settled in that position, and Sanji resettled in his – he felt a lot better when he felt Law's hand search for his, attaching to his with added strength, stroking his fingers with his. His other found and rested upon Sanji's hip, and he scooted in closer to him. Sleep finally came and took them both in that position.


	14. The Midnight Showing

A few days later, Sanji's stomach was in knots. It was their turn to go to the village, and he couldn't help but feel apprehensive of it. It would be his first return since the Harvest Festival; months since he'd shown his face there at all. To make things a little more nerve-wrecking, he had Law at his side so he knew there would be questioning looks and whispers.

Most of the castle's occupants that made their journey to the village commented on the nosey looks they were given, the questions – their clothing was mocked, kids openly laughing at them. The adults questioned their outdated slang, and, while accepting of their travel status, slyly mocked them behind their backs. The castle’s occupants felt like time travelers, caught in a place and time much different from the one they'd left.

After their visit, much of the attitude on Flower Hill was adamant on gaining revenge.

Wearing an old jacket, some hastily sewn pants and one of Sanji's shirts, Law was nervous but he didn't show it. Doflamingo had given him a pouch full of gold and told him to get some clothes – "The flashier, the better, so we can match in battle!" he demanded.

"No, _gross_ ," Law had commented, giving him a stricken look. Doflamingo was wearing animal print with bright orange trousers today, with heeled ankle boots that had feathers at the heel. Corazon looked embarrassed for Law, standing in his heart print onesie with heart hood and long, black cape with hearts at the end of his hood strings. Neither brother looked as if they should be telling anybody how to dress.

As the pair walked the footpath down to the village, Law looked around himself cheerily. People glanced at them curiously as they walked underneath the arbor, taking the main road in. The street was full of sellers with their same wares, their same game, and pigs raced ahead of them, being chased by a couple of teenagers that looked more interested in the baker's daughters than their animals.

It was nothing new in Sanji's eyes, seeing that others had caught sight of him and were whispering already. Men standing near a bar caught sight of them and looked them over warily. One of them was a regular Sanji used to serve, and he pointed the teen out to the others, who looked interested in the gossip.

"It's only become more crowded," Law complained low, looking at the trash in the streets with disgust. "It didn't look this dirty from up upon those roofs."

Sanji said nothing, uncomfortably shoving his hands into his pants pockets and following close behind him. He wished for a cigarette, but Corazon had taken them all. Sanji had absolutely nothing to be ashamed about – he felt at peace being with the other man, but he didn't like knowing that people would talk to them at some point, to bring up Rayleigh. He was also sick at the feeling of anybody commenting openly on Law's clothing – the older male was clearly out of place with everyone. Even Sanji’s clothes, as worn and repaired as they were, were more up to date than Law's.

"Ah, see that alley there?" Law asked, pointing towards a very narrow space between buildings. A cat was sitting in front of it, grooming itself. "That's where Buffalo and I chased these stupid boys one day, after they were throwing rocks at us. He trapped them at one end, I at the other. Then we beat them senseless. It was great! We had to run fast from their stupid parents, though."

"Yikes," Sanji commented.

"Oh, and that's where the old lady Parker lived. The one that was widowed? Her husband drowned himself trying to prove that the lake was completely frozen over one year. Anyway, she grew angry at Buffalo for knocking over one of her flower vases, and beat him with a wooden spoon. Doflamingo visited her that night to talk about it, and she never came out from her place again. She just stuck her head out the window and talked from there."

"I never met her," Sanji said, looking at the house with interest.

"Oh, and here. One day, a couple of men tried to fight Diamante, but he was much too fast for them. They pulled out guns, and he only used a sword. Wow, there are still stains on the rock from when they fell. That's weird."

"Do you miss it?"

"Oh, not at all. The more I see, the more I realize nothing's changed," Law said with a frown, walking past a woman holding out dried fish, and another that was selling metal crafts. There was a large crowd of people gathered in one narrow street, and he paused to look in that direction. Two men were cowered against a house, and they could see that they were being punished for stealing something. The men heading this crowd were holding leather straps, guns. Law stood on his tiptoes to make sure it was nobody from Flower Hill, but he didn't have to stretch that far – he was pretty much one of the tallest ones there. The pair being beaten managed to run, but as they slipped by the two, neither party recognized each other. The crowd shifted to run after them, intending on chasing them from the village. Law pulled Sanji to the side, an arm over his chest as people pushed after the pair. One of those running caught sight of them, then paused in mid step.

He greeted Sanji amicably, then looked at Law with question. "He's more your age, eh?"

Sanji tensed, unable to find anything to say at that moment. That gave Law a chance to say, "The fuck's it your business?"

The man looked startled, stammering an apology, then hurried off with a cautious look back. Sanji exhaled heavily, hitting him with the back of his hand. "I can do this, you know."

"Well, speak up, or I'll ditch you."

"I just…words…fail me."

"Where's a place for me to find some clothes?" Law asked a passerby, who looked at him with question. She examined his clothes, then pointed out the house he needed to go to. When the pair walked off in that direction, she stared after them with thought, tapping a finger to her lip.

There, the seamstress shuddered at the sight of his clothes and immediately took his measurements. Sanji sat off to the side and looked around himself, admiring the fabric and the finished pieces on display. Law picked out a black duster, some trousers, and a couple of shirts that were already set. Then he encouraged Sanji to pick out some of the same, but Sanji shook his head, too self-conscious to accept the offering. Afterward, they wandered off through the town, where Law pointed out places he remembered, along with stories that made him smirk or chuckle. None of them were good.

They reached the tavern, and Sanji exhaled slowly, signaling for him to come through the back. They walked in, and cook did a double take, face splitting with a wide grin as the younger kitchen boy looked at them warily. "Sanji! Long time no see! How you doing?"

"Good. Um…Ussop?"

"Out on the main floor. Who's your friend?"

"Um…"

"Preston," Law said quickly.

"Oh, the same name as one of my oldest sons!"

"…Right."

"It's good to see you again, Sanji," cook said cheerfully, flipping some hush puppies over, adding to a bunch already being served. "I was hoping you'd left the area completely. You look pretty happy...”

"I am. Preston's, uh…good company."

"Hey, Jordan, go get Ussop. Why don't you guys take a seat? We can catch up."

"Ah, no, we're just passing through," Sanji said nervously. "I don't want to be here for longer than we have to."

"Do you have a big family?" Law asked cook curiously.

"Why, yes! Eight boys, a wife, and a dog."

"Do you like this area?"

"We're thinking of moving a little closer to the coast. It's been tough trying to save up for it, though. Eight kids isn't really that easy to manage. Hey, it's a good thing you can't have kids of your own, eh, Sanji?"

"Yeah, _real_ lucky," Sanji said dryly.

"Do you have family on the coast? That's why you'd want to move there?" Law asked cook, Ussop walking into the kitchen with a cheered look at Sanji, waving at him like he couldn't see him. Sanji grinned brightly at him, and cook was distracted by the question because he'd never seen Sanji smile like that before.

"Yes, that's where my wife comes from," cook answered. "That's where we met. They have a place for us, we're just…trying to save up enough to get there. This village wasn't what it used to be. It's getting a little…edgy. _Too_ edgy for me."

Law reached for the money pouch he carried, and gave it to him. Cook took it from him with a questioning expression, Ussop wrangling his way over with a cheerful look at Sanji.

"Take it and leave this place. Preferably within a week," Law told cook. He touched the top of Sanji's head, saying, "And thank you for looking out for him. I realize he's a bitter pill to swallow, but I'm glad you were someone he was able to rely on."

Cook didn't know what to say, looking at the pouch with question. It was heavy, and he felt uncomfortable with it in hand, but Sanji was embarrassed, and dragging Law out behind him. Sanji waved at him, saying, "Thank you for everything! Tell the family I said 'hi'!"

Absolutely bewildered by the event, cook opened the pouch and looked inside. He paled significantly, and then closed it up. The money inside was more than enough for the move – it was enough to get them through at least half a year. He wondered if Sanji had married a prince.

Outside, Sanji gestured from Ussop to Law, trying to make Ussop guess who it was standing in front of him. Ussop stared up at Law with question, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"I don't know. Were we friends when we were kids?" he asked, tilting his head.

"No."

"C'mon, Ussop, it's fucking obvious," Sanji grinned, looking around himself, and finding a step stool they used to open and shut the back window with. He dragged that over and stood behind Law, then leaned over to make horns above his head.

Ussop reacted with a hard gasp, paling, drawing backward with utter shock. He couldn't believe it, but it all made sense, after that one day. Sanji hopped down, and both of them grinned at each other while Ussop covered his mouth and choked on another hard breath.

"You _did_ it? You did _it_! _You did it_?" he exclaimed with different variations, his expressions changing from shock to joy to horror.

"It was an accident," Sanji said, still grinning brightly. "It just _happened_! Now we're here just…updating a few things, and…it's…things have been different since then."

"It's kind of embarrassing with you staring at us like that," Law said uncomfortably, seeing Ussop gape at them both, still in recoil position. "I assure you, nothing drastic happened – "

"We didn't kiss- _kiss_!" Sanji said hurried, reddening. "It was a stupid thing that happened, and suddenly he was human – "

"That night was a different situation," Law added, Sanji purpling with embarrassment, slapping his arm. "You'd think this man wasn't the aggressive sort, but he actually – "

" _Stop_! He's kidding, he's kidding, he's stupid, don't listen to him," Sanji exclaimed, covering his mouth as Ussop slowly straightened up, hardly able to believe the situation before him. But now that he knew, he saw the little boy that tormented him, sometimes. Just taller, rangy, older – and he definitely looked at Sanji with as much joy as Sanji looked at him.

That was all that mattered, really, tuning out their giddy cheer as they addressed each other, trying to out-embarrass the other. While many other things were running through Ussop's mind – _Doflamingo was back_ – he couldn't deny how happy Sanji was. So, Ussop accepted the situation as-is, and only smiled back.

"I'm happy for you both," he said. "I'd wondered about it, when we were out that one time. The way you two were…"

"We were very unprepared," Sanji said cheerily. "But, uh…I suppose things just work out that way."

"I'd…I'd wondered," Ussop murmured. "All these strange people coming through town…? That's…that's _them_ , isn't it?"

Both of them slowly nodded, visibly losing their earlier cheer.

"Do you have attachments here, Nose?" Law asked him curiously.

Ussop knew what Law was asking. He looked at Sanji, who dropped his smile and looked away. He had to shake his head in response. "No."

"It's inevitable," Law warned him. "It _will_ happen."

"I don't feel that it's right," Ussop said slowly. "There's a lot of people here that weren't involved back then."

"That's understandable. But from the sounds of it, this village has been overstepping boundaries with each other, and others passing through. And they allowed men like Rayleigh make their decisions for them. It's unacceptable. In the end, Doflamingo will take this place back for his own use. So, it'll be wise for you and cook to leave before he does. Please encourage him to move quickly, without causing any alarm."

Ussop looked at Sanji. "And, you? What's your opinion on this?"

Sanji looked trapped. He still didn't know how to answer, and he shrugged a shoulder lightly. Ussop frowned at him. It was unusual of Sanji to not have an opinion, but it didn't look as if he were being forced. Law looked at him with a troubled expression before looking back at Ussop.

"No harm will come to him," Law assured Ussop. "After, we do want to travel."

"So you're not planning on staying here?"

"No."

"Sanji?"

"Traveling is something I'd want to do," Sanji answered quietly. "Maybe we can meet up later."

Ussop nodded. "Yes. Well…maybe that's what we need, huh? To get out and experience new things?"

Sanji nodded, uncomfortable with the subject and Law just looked at him with a smile. When Sanji noticed it, he smiled back.

Ussop shrugged. "Okay. Well…I feel weird about it."

"It was coming, Ussop. There's no stopping it. Just…please get away safely. And perhaps we'll meet each other again in the future," Law said. "If you need funds, I can – "

"I've enough. It's only me," Ussop assured him. Then he took a deep breath, grimly accepting the inevitable. It felt like things had happened much too soon, too intensely, and while he didn't want to believe it was going in this direction, it was. With Law's presence, with the constant visit by seeming foreigners into the village lately, it was only a matter of time before Doflamingo made himself known. He knew one thing was for certain – Sanji would not leave Law's side. 

Whether it was his own sense of 'duty' and responsibility, or even love – which was very clear, considering the glow between the two – Sanji would stay with Law despite the situation. There was no talking him out of it.

"Take care of my friend, for me. I do think we'll see each other again, right?"

"Yes!" Sanji said, taking the steps necessary to reach out and hug him. Ussop hugged him back, squeezing him tightly.

"You _better_ meet me," Ussop said quietly. "I'll send a messenger your way with my intended destination. And I'll be waiting for you, so you better show up!"

"I'll be there."

Ussop held him for a second longer. "Are you happy?"

"Very much," Sanji assured him, and Ussop believed him. He patted his back and then released him. Ussop then turned to face Law, and punched him in the arm as hard as he could. He left quickly as Law rubbed his arm with a startled look, Sanji chuckling.

Law went to him, touching his shoulder, concerned over his expression. Sanji muttered, "I hope he listens."

"He will. Let's go. I'll bring you to the wishing well, and you can make a wish."

"You're obsessed with wishes."

"They work, right?" Law asked, reaching for his hand, entwining his fingers with his. "Walk slowly. I want everyone to see that you're with me."

"What? Don't be stupid, they don't care," Sanji said, red-faced as they walked out from behind the tavern and headed for the main street.

"That way, when I return with the others, they'll fucking know why I'm here."

"You're dumb." But Sanji held his hand tightly, and kept his eyes forward, sensing people looking curiously in their direction. He did hear his name being mentioned a few times, but since no one approached them to say anything, he thought nothing more of it.

Once at the well, Law fished a coin from his pocket and handed it to Sanji. He fiddled with it anxiously, looking into the shallow depths. He then looked at Law, who gestured at him to make a wish. He looked at the coin again, then tossed it in. For a moment, his mind went blank, then the words came to him. After that, he felt some relief, smiling foolishly at the unspoken desire.

After that, they went and retrieved the items that Law had paid for earlier, and began making their way back through town. It wasn't until they'd reached the foot bridge over a rushing creek when they realized that they were being followed. Looking back, Sanji realized that the woman they'd asked for directions from earlier was approaching them, two men at her back. He jerked on Law's hand to catch his attention, and when the taller man looked back, the woman stood in front of them.

"You look really familiar," she said, examining Law's face. "Like this kid I used to know from a long time ago. You were one of Doflamingo's brats, weren't you?"

Sanji tensed, Law releasing his hand to look at her. From the looks of things, the woman intended on starting trouble, the two men behind her settling with tense expressions nearby.

"Maybe," Law answered, furrowing his brow. "I ended up moving away for some time."

"You are. You used to chase my pa's cows away – you also made my sister cry, making fun of her dress. You and that girlfriend of yours. What was her name?"

"It was a long time ago."

"Right. Don't think I forgot it. And you. Weren't you engaged to that old guy? Silvers?" she asked Sanji.

Before he could answer, Law interrupted, saying, "What's the fucking point? Do you hold a grudge?"

"Yeah, it pissed me off when I remembered who you looked like. You're _him_ , right?"

"Yeah, I am. So? I don't give a fuck."

"You should. Simon. Simon, it's him. This is my brother, by the way," she added, gesturing at the largest man, who frowned at them grimly. "Our sister passed from a lung disease, but we never forgot how rotten you guys were."

"Look, the past is the past, let's just move on," Sanji said hastily, growing nervous as the woman gestured for the other man to approach them. They were drawing a slight crowd, interested spectators looking over to see what the confrontation was about.

"If you have a problem with it, then take it up to someone that gives a shit. Ridiculous! Waste of our time, causing trouble over something done as kids. Where's yours, by the way?" Law asked, looking around. "Woman fat as you probably has about a zillion of them! I'll treat them the same way I treated you."

"That's definitely _you_ , you asshole. That's _you_! I remember you! Saying those same types of things! Even back then, you had nothing nice to say!" she shouted angrily, her face reddening.

"Hag. Whale. Pig. You _and_ your brother slash husband," Law then stated, looking at the approaching man with a stubborn expression. The man's face twisted with a scowl, and Sanji moved to interfere, hearing people gather closer to hear what was happening.

"And _you_! What a fucking whore you are. Going from Rayleigh to something like him. Don't you have any pride in yourself?"

"Of course!" Sanji managed to say, looking at her indignantly. "I upgraded to someone that can actually get it up."

Law shoved her, then ducked when her brother swung. As she fell dramatically, a couple of other men raced over. Sanji caught sight of the brother bull rushing Law, but he turned and stopped the others from advancing, one of which knew what he was capable of. He slowed before his friends could stop, and Sanji took to one foot, kicking one in the gut, then whirling around and catching the other with a shin to the face. The third man backed away quickly, because he'd seen the teen kick full grown men through doors.

Sanji then reached over and pulled the second man off Law, and kicked him to the side, watching the woman climb to her feet.

She turned to the crowd for help, shouting that they'd been attacked. Her blatant lies made Sanji incredulous, but he watched the crowd cautiously as the other men slowly recovered from the treatment. One lurched back up and started towards him, so Sanji set himself, ready to fight. He caught the man upside the chin as he jumped towards him, then used his other foot to connect with his chest, knocking him a few feet away. The crowd quickly backed off, and Sanji turned to see if Law were okay. He was worried because the man was still getting used to his coordination, and still adjusting to his own weaker strength.

He was losing the battle, and Sanji stepped towards him worriedly. Law stopped him from advancing with a hand in his direction, as the brother realized that Sanji had already flattened out a few men on his own. The woman called for reinforcements, but no one wanted to try – not after watching those Sanji had kicked slowly recover.

Sanji watched the two exchange punches, but Law wasn't steady on his feet. And he took several hard hits to the face before he could block, and when he did, the man threw in a wide haymaker that caught him and sent him down to the ground. Sanji moved to step in again, but once more, Law held him off.

Upset, Sanji fiddled with his fingers. He knew Law couldn't take anymore, and the man knew it, too. So he advanced again, and Law took a couple of kicks before he was able to catch that leg, and shove him off balance. He rose up from the ground, breathing heavily, bleeding from various facial wounds – but he was determined to win this one on his own.

Law finally managed to throw successful punches that laid the man out again, and he struggled to get up. The woman staggered over to rescue her brother, pleading for mercy. Law kicked her over him, Sanji pulling back on his arm. The crowd dispersed, and the woman howled at them for allowing this type of savagery to happen. Sanji grabbed the bag they'd dropped and pulled Law with him. Some people in the crowd commented on their state, on Rayleigh – others called out over Law's nearly lost battle, over his clothing, over his awkward fight.

Nobody approached them to see if they were okay. Winded, weak from adrenaline loss, Law had to stop and rest, hands on his knees. His brain felt like it was still rattling inside of his skull – his tongue felt thick and heavy, and his thought processes were mixed up, making it difficult to concentrate. He felt like things were spinning, but he recognized this feeling. He would be okay. Every part of him was shaking, and Sanji was silent as he watched him with worry, removing his jacket to wipe at his bloodied face.

Law caught his hand, pushed it away before Sanji could dirty his jacket even further. He caught his breath, struggling to straighten up. He felt the protruding welts on his cheeks, assessed his swelling lip, his tender nose. He examined the blood on his hand, and looked at Sanji with embarrassment. Sanji only stared at him with grave silence.

Law then started to laugh, which only upset Sanji even further. Flicking his hand to the side, blood splattering onto the house behind him, Law said thickly, "Wow. Things are different."

It took a few moments for Sanji to even understand what he was saying. The words that left Law were slurred, heavy, and he obviously had difficulty speaking. It made the feelings he felt inside of him even worse. Bigger. His throat tightened. So much worry and so much pride battled against each other for weight.

"You just got your fucking ass kicked. It's not funny," Sanji said bitterly.

"No, Sanji – it's not. But it felt fucking good. This pain, it's mine _as a human_. And I was able to assess what I fucking suck at. It's a real eye opener. It's better to have it done now than in real battle later," Law said, leaning over and spitting out blood and mucus to the side, coughing to do so. Sanji stared at him, jaw clenched. The words made sense when he put them together, and he understood what Law was saying. He just hated how they came out. Law had been hit too many times by that bigger man; Sanji assumed Law's brain was still rattled by it all. It was so painful for him to just stand there and say nothing. "I got my ass kicked, but it could've been worse. This worked out for me."

Law took the bag that Sanji held, and started walking again, his steps labored. The pair left the village, taking the footpath back, and Law looked back at him once he realized just how quiet Sanji was. He leaned over to release a bloody snot rocket, wiping his face, smearing blood over his hands and nose at the same time.

He paused in mid-step to give the younger male an impatient look. " _What_?"

Sanji shook his head, still walking, Law reaching out and forcing him to a stop. Sanji still didn't look at him, his eyebrows furrowed together with silent contemplation, and Law frowned down at him, trying to wipe blood from the open wound over his eye. Sanji ripped his own shirt sleeve from his arm, and impatiently pressed it up against the wound. He forced Law to sit on the arbor fence.

Law studied his upset expression, unsure of what was going through Sanji's mind at that moment. He started to think back, wondering what he'd done wrong. It made sense to him what happened – he wasn't worried about it. All it would take was a few lessons from Diamante and Lao-G, and he'd be fine when Doflamingo set upon the village.

He reached out to touch Sanji, but Sanji slapped his hand away then forced him to hold the piece of cloth to his face on his own. For a few moments he just stood there, looking at Law's injuries bitterly while Law started to look worried. This event had convinced Sanji that, despite his older age, Law was a vulnerable man. Law was stunted from the world as it was now, with little to no experience into how people worked or what they were truly capable of. Law was only focused on those closest to him, secure and comfortable with limited interaction with others. Sanji felt that the man would be easily manipulated by someone either close to him or from afar - and Sanji felt he was the only one to see this. 

Add to that, Sanji felt that if he didn't act now, he'd lose his chance to keep him - either Law would come to his full awareness or someone else would swoop in and steal him. There was only one thing for Sanji to do.

Sanji closed his eyes for a few moments, then stepped forward to Law. "Marry me. I can't give you much, just my loyalty, honesty and devotion – I'm a hard worker. I will do anything and everything possible to make you happy. I learn fast. I'm pretty sure I'll grow a little more, and I'll work on being…uh, attractive. But… _marry_ me."

Law stared at him, unable to understand what was happening. His hand drooped, and he was pretty sure he knew what Sanji was saying, but for some reason, it sounded like a lot of weird noises put together that made very little sense. He wasn't even sure if he were in the right dimension. He was punch drunk at that moment, but he was pretty positive that Sanji was proposing to him.

So Law tried to answer appropriately. "Wait, _what_?"

"You heard me the first time."

"… _Why_?"

"Because I love you."

Law did not understand. He did not understand how he missed the entirety of it the first time, and he did not understand what was happening now. He'd just caused trouble for both of them in town, had his ass kicked, was bleeding all over – he probably wasn't recognizable – and Sanji was asking him to marry him. None of these were favorable, and he just didn't understand why this was happening.

"What happened?" Lao-G asked immediately, ambling over with a horrified look on his face.

"Oh, dear, look at this – _what the fuck_ ," Pink commented, mouth dropping open.

"Sanji! What happened?" Trebol demanded, all of them veering over towards them, having come from the village. All of them with bags, baskets, and what looked to be baby clothes in Pink's arms.

"Shut the hell up, _all_ of you!” Sanji snapped at them, before looking back at Law, clearly waiting for an answer. The three men looked at each other, and then mimicked Sanji's expression amongst each other. " _Well_?"

"I…I don't know _why_ you'd want to," Law replied slowly.

Sanji exhaled shortly. "If you say no, I will leave with Ussop."

"That's blackmail - !"

" _Yes or no_?"

Law was quiet for a few moments, embarrassed while the others stared upon them with questioning faces. He saw the way Sanji held his own hands in front of them – how they were shaking noticeably. He looked back up at him, removing the blood soaked cloth from his forehead. The three behind them reacted with disgust and dismay.

"Yes?" Law then answered slowly because he meant to ask a full question, but nothing in his thoughts would work right.

Sanji nodded then stalked off towards the footpath while Law sat there, utterly aghast at what just happened. The others looked after Sanji, then at him with bewilderment. Pink helped him to his feet, Lao-G having immense troubles to pick up the bag. Trebol ended up doing it for him, giving it to him before looking at Law with question.

"What happened?" he demanded. "Shall we tell Doffy of this?"

"He asked me to marry him. I don't know."

All three of them stared at him with utter confusion, Law shrugging. Lao-G hissed. "What a harpy. Beats you half to death, then demands that you marry him."

"Doffy would be so happy to have him in the family," Pink said with a sniff. "That's exactly how he likes things to happen."

Trebol looked bothered, sniffling noisily as the four of them began walking, Law rubbing his hurt cheek with a pained expression. "Well, I'm sure there were better ways of doing it, but if this is something you're okay with doing, well….who am I to step in?"

Law just didn't understand it. He didn't understand anything. He shook his head, helpless to answer any of them.

: :

A week later, just after midnight on Sanji's birthday, the priest shook noticeably as he focused on his Bible, his words trembling as they left him. He had been forced out of bed by men that didn't take 'no' for an answer, and forced to give a wedding ceremony that was unlike any other he'd given. But he uttered all the right words and went through the motions, and the shadows that surrounded them were polite and quiet when the pair, dressed in clothes Baby designed for them, exchanged rings that Dellinger carried, wearing his own flower dress and prancing happily in low heels. He tossed flower petals around merrily, Jora hissing at him to settle down while she sniffled and wiped her eyes.

When it came time to seal it with a kiss, Law hesitated, terribly self conscious with everyone looming over them and watching closely. Especially with Baby staring hard at them from the side, breathing heavily in her tight bridesmaid dress. Buffalo kept whispering the kissing song over and over with his hands over his face, peering through his fingers. Law could hear Doflamingo chuckling about 'performance anxieties', and Corazon was trying to demonstrate the proper way to kiss with encouraging action on his own hand. The other family members were jeering and encouraging with randy whispers and gestures, and Sanji waited patiently for him to make his move. The priest looked around nervously, sweating.

At this very moment, Law wondered which of them was truly the Beast. He ended up giving Sanji a very short and painful peck as their faces collided, but Doflamingo and the others celebrated happily, then headed back towards the church, eager to start drinking. Trebol and Diamante surrounded the priest and walked him back, clearly not allowing him to wander off and broadcast this moment to everyone back at the village.

Sanji tossed the bouquet Jora had put together towards Baby, who caught it happily and ran off, Buffalo yelling at her to share. The pair standing there looked at each other in silence, and Law still didn't know why Sanji was so insistent on this action. But he was eighteen now, and he looked weary already. The village was silent, everyone asleep, and cows brayed in the distance. Dogs barked, alerted to activity. Owls called out to each other, and something rattled the bushes. The formerly 'enchanted forest' was quiet, now – all the voices that had once murmured through the trees were now humans living in the castle, ready to storm the village.

Sanji cleared his throat, looking at the simple gold band on his finger. He was happy to see it there, but his expression didn't show it. Law stood there, unsure of what to even say. With his face healing from last week's fight, it was lopsided in some areas, and yellowed in others. His eyes had swollen to narrow slits the day after, and now they were finally starting to reopen.

Baby had fixed Sanji into a yellow suit, and persuaded Law into a dark navy one. She'd decorated both into matching tan vests with gold stitching, and made them wear baby blue kerchiefs. It was neither's style, but they went along with it because it made Baby happy.

"There," Sanji said quietly. "Now things can go whatever way you want."

"I'm just standing here, not knowing what's happening but agreeing anyway," Law said dully, looking at the ring on his finger, wondering if Tsuru had given Sanji a spell to use; if these were her instruments of further torture.

"When you all come down to the village to do your worst, and someone like Tsuru returns to punish you all for your shitty actions, I won't be left out," Sanji said low. "I'm associated by this bond, and there's no way to ease out of it. With this marriage, if you go down, I will go down, too."

Law furrowed his brow, finding it troublesome that this was so. Sanji's reasoning made sense to him, but he didn't like the feeling it gave him. He wanted so much more for him, but at the same time, needed these things for himself. He thought it was selfish of Sanji to do this, but then again...if this was what Sanji wanted, then Law had to let it go. Sanji never asked for anything, and Law kept telling him to be selfish.

"So, make good choices," Sanji told him, walking towards the church, digging into his pockets for his cigarettes. Law looked after him with his mouth dropping open, and strode after him.

"You are _unbelievable_!" he exclaimed.

"Shitty dog, when we broke the curse, it was pretty much decided after that that _this_ was going to happen. If you're that surprised, you're a fucking asshole. Now, any choice that you make from hereon after will also affect me, so, just like I said earlier, 'make good choices'!"

"Are you one of those sorcerers I've heard about, in cahoots with Tsuru to keep an eye on us?"

"I _wish_ I had that sort of imagination! I've had a long day. I'm going back to the castle to go to bed. You wake me up before I get my full hours of sleep, I will be pissed. Don't even think of consummating the marriage right yet, because I'm not in the mood."

" 'C-con-? _Consummate_ …?"

"Besides, it'd be a bad idea – it would make the legs weak, take away your strength as a man. You need all of it for later. We'll talk about it after you're done making fools of yourselves. Good night."

Law watched him leave, and then looked to the church, seeing that most of the wedding party was smoking and drinking, having a grand time as quietly as possible. He stood there awkwardly, a little lost. But he looked at the ring on his finger again, and then at the sky, feeling discombobulated – he'd had all the timelines and plans mapped out in his room, having looked them over from time to time as Sanji slept or was occupied elsewhere in the castle, but none of those plans were working. Nothing was going the way he'd thought it should, and he wasn't sure how to feel about that.

Law wandered towards the church, scratching his head. He felt absolutely lost on the path he thought was the right one, but damned if Sanji's guidance didn't make him feel as if Law had reached hairpin turns and dangerous obstacles. When he reached the others, they all made fun of him for being forced to marry and not even allowed to enjoy the 'spoils'.

On a small hilltop overlooking the area, Rayleigh frowned with disapproval, his horse shuffling anxiously at the feel of his mood.


	15. Attack On Flower Hill

Two days later, Sanji watched as Law traced a route through a pair of mountains that were named after two women – the locals claimed the pair of mountaintops bore the shape of a woman's chest. The two newlyweds were sitting in the library, a tray of hot coffee next to them, and while Sanji had a cookbook in his lap, Law was looking through his treasured book of maps, planning their future travel. It amused Sanji that Law had all these plans, notes, and lists set out for their trips. Around the taller man were half-raveled scrolls, sheets of paper, and some piles of books that had information about animal, flora, mineral and local customs in the areas that Law had planned to visit. Planning ahead was important for him, but Sanji didn't want to point out that most of their plans had been broken, or changed because of something unexpected.

Despite all the things that had changed for them, all the things that were expected to happen, Sanji was in a place of peace and relaxation. There was no where else he'd rather be – sharing the bear skin rug with his husband across from him, more interested in their plans than him. Sanji had been trying to get his attention for the past five minutes with goading comments, light tugs of his book, his bare toes on Law's face, but Law would patiently push those things away and concentrate on the maps without much of a verbal response.

Sanji never thought he could feel this way. This moment, now, was something beyond his imagination – but it was happening. He wore a light smile as he grabbed his coffee cup and sipped, amazed at the taste. He loved looking at the other man when Law was occupied. He wouldn't admit it out loud, through, too shy to express these things. Sanji lifted his foot from the rug and once again pressed his toes against the other man's face, Law sweeping his leg to the side without change in expression.

"You're going to get wrinkles early, with that face," Sanji commented, lowering his cup to the tray.

"Look, I've planned us a straight route through the east, to reach the coast line," Law said, ignoring the comment, and flipping the book around to show him. "We're going to make our way through this canyon here, and then take this town to turn right there – see? They're famous for their acrobatics in this region, and I really want to see the shows. We can meet Ussop, here, within a day's travel, before we even get close to the coast. There, we can take to the sea, and go northeast up, to here. Look here – you'll like this place. It's where the river and the coast meet, so they're sure to have the animal cuisines that you've described overseeing. It's not the same place, right?"

"Right. We came up from the south, um, over here..."

"Let's not see the things we've already seen. I don't want to go back that route. We're going to go forward."

"Are we headed to your old hometown?" Sanji asked curiously, looking for it on the map.

Law shrugged, pulling the book back, and then tracing these routes onto another sheet of paper. "I never really thought about it."

"But don't you want to look for your parents?"

Law shrugged again. Sanji studied him for some time, then reached out and rubbed the top of his head. "After that, what do you have planned?"

"I want to see the sea, really. I thought we could travel out in that area, and see where the locals recommend. How about you? Would you like to return home?"

"No. There is nothing for me, back there."

"You sure? You might change your mind."

"No, I won't. I left for a reason."

"Fine."

Sanji touched his stubbly chin with his toes, Law jerking back from the touch with a grunt. "Aren't you going to ask about it?"

"No. You'll tell me when you want to. My opinion pretty much means nothing to you. You'll just do whatever you want."

"Say it in a nicer tone," Sanji commanded, using his big toe to pick at his nose.

"I'm going to bite your fucking phalanges off and spit them in your coffee."

"What are 'phalanges'?"

" _Toes_ , idiot."

Sanji stuffed his foot towards his mouth with renewed strength, then laughed when Law shoved his leg away, using his own to pin it to the floor. He looked at the ring on his finger once more – it was a plain gold band, thin, and he totally enjoyed the thought of what it meant. Until he furrowed his brow, and asked, "Hey, whose last name are we taking?"

"Huh?"

"Last name. _Whose_."

Law made a blank expression, finally looking up from his book. He blinked owlishly for a few moments, then shrugged, returning his attention to his task. Once done, he set the sheet aside to let the ink dry, Sanji rolling his eyes up to the ceiling to consider the question. He pulled his leg out from Law's and rest it atop of his thigh, to pick up his cup and enjoy his coffee. The quiet stillness of the library was occasionally interrupted by the sound of people in the halls, by a sudden burst of laughter from somewhere within the castle's depths. Quick footfalls moved from one end of the floor to the other, and something metallic fell, bouncing noisily from the kitchen. Shouts erupted, followed by gentle laughter.

After some minutes, Law closed up the book and reached for another, opening it up to a saved section. Sanji resumed staring at him, feeling the corners of his mouth lift. He was loving this new rapport with his friend; he enjoyed that Law wasn't pushing him out of his comfort zones, or even rushing him. Sanji liked that he had this particular control over him – he liked that nothing had changed since Law regained his human form. He liked the feeling of falling more and more for the other man – his physical form finally growing on Sanji. He was steadily getting used to the feeling of butterflies in his gut, admiring this exotic beauty. The way his dark skin contrasted with his eyes, the dark blue of his hair, the appealing strength of his callused hands; Sanji never thought he'd feel these things. 

Even if Law was still shy about some things – roaring about needing his "virtue" intact because he hadn't had a chance to explore his brand new body to learn what it was comfortable with and what it actually wanted – this still was a place of comfort for Sanji. Without the expected pressure to consummate the marriage made him feel comfortable and safe, secure with his trust and confidence with the other man's decision to wait. He had been extremely nervous about it after being with Rayleigh, so Law's viewpoint on it made him feel that much more relieved.

Nights were spent actually sleeping – hand holding and occasional hugs were more than enough to express physical expression. It was as if he'd married a demure maiden, and Sanji wouldn't change that for anything.

Law was still shy about kissing, so that was reserved, too, for special moments. Sanji couldn't help but think of how susceptible Law was. Despite his exterior, Law was still just a kid in a man's body, and Sanji thought it horrid that he could be treated in the same way Sanji was by Rayleigh. Marrying him was Sanji’s way of saving him - protecting him from predatory men, but also, claiming him. He was not going to lose the only man that had made him happy.

Sanji grew aware to a rising alarm, and both of them stilled, tensing as they heard building shouts coming from various points of the castle. The pair were quickly on their feet, moving to a window when someone poked their head in and breathlessly warned them that they were being attacked. From their position, they could see a long line of villagers moving towards the castle, armed with various tools of destruction.

"Oh, shit," Sanji muttered fretfully, Law looking down to see that most of the guards were arming themselves on the ground below, set to go to war. Diamante was leading them, while Pica and Machvise, in 'outdated' armor, milled around with outrageously large weapons of their own. "They found out."

"I guess it starts early. They'll regret it," Law vowed, pushing away from the window and hurrying out the library. Sanji watched the line of villagers slowly form as a mass down at the base of Flower Hill. More were steadily moving into their line of view. His lips thinned as he considered the number. While the castle occupants were enough to instill fear into the villages upon word along, it was Doflamingo's executives, Doflamingo himself that made the villagers shake with fear.

He had no doubt that this battle would end in Doflamingo's favor, but the man had wanted to storm and destroy the village in a surprise attack. To enslave the occupants, teach them a lesson for thinking they'd succeed with their wish to destroy him and the family. Many harsh things were in store for the villagers, and Sanji knew of it. He didn't know Doflamingo's strategy, but he knew the worst was to come.

He left the window and slowly made his way to the Great Hall. Everyone was dashing about, arming themselves, gearing up for war. The inhuman forms of the executives were decked out in their combined armor and flashy clothes, checking on their weapons, slugging gulps of alcohol between them. Corazon was posted near the front doors, gathering a team to him, along with Lao-G, Vergo and Pink. He waved at Sanji cheerily, Sanji walking up to them with a heavy expression.

"We're going to leave this place early," Corazon told him, bending at the knees to do so. "Come around the back and slaughter our way in. This castle will be empty. You'll be okay by yourself?"

"He'll be _fine_ ," Doflamingo assured him, showing up in a hideously bright lime green shirt, with a brilliant pink cape. His trademark waddle was made worse with the yellow capris he wore, with lime green loafers. Sanji's eyes hurt just looking at him. Doflamingo wore a zebra print belt to top it off, and even Corazon recoiled with a hand to his eyes, his cigarette burning his hand in the action. "Stay here, hang out and relax. This should be over by evening."

"Be careful for any assassins," Corazon said to Sanji. “Maybe stay away from the windows, okay?"

Sanji shrugged, and the brothers exchanged a couple of words before Corazon was walking off with his team. Some of the occupants went with him, all of them heaving weapons with both hands, telling Sanji 'good luck' as they passed. Doflamingo looked down at him, crouching awkwardly to do so.

"You sure you don't want to participate? It'll make you feel better about things," Doflamingo said, grinning.

"I'm good," Sanji said low, fiddling with the wedding band he wore. He wasn't even sure what sort of expression to make, considering that most of the villagers would be killed by these guys. He wondered what set them off, what gave them away.

"You're a good man," Doflamingo commented, straightening to stand at full height. "Letting Law go to fulfill one of his fondest wishes. I have some reservations about this proposed travel, though. I thought he'd follow in our footsteps to help rule the valley. It might be a good thing for you both, you know. You guys can have your own section to rule over, however you want to."

"That's not in my plans," Sanji said, turning away. He walked off, and Doflamingo frowned after him. He turned to face the open front doors, and saw from Diamante's nod that the first team was ready to go. He grinned widely, indicating for Diamante to take his team and press forward.

Law caught up to Sanji on his way out, looking excited. He reached out and grabbed Sanji's hand, giving it a comforting squeeze while Sanji looked up at him with worry. "This'll be over soon. Are you sure you want to stay behind?"

"Yes. Law…if you come back with your ass kicked, I'm going to add to it," Sanji said sternly.

"Don't worry. I'm ready this time. I have plans to make them all regret everything they've done to us, and to you," Law reassured him. "I have a selfish request of you, if you're going to wait here."

"What?"

"Make me that cake you made for my birthday. And then I want dinner from you – um, something with venison. And with that vegetable medley you make, with the oven bread on the side."

"Stew? Or steak?"

"Steak. Oh, and can you please put away my mess in my library? Nice and neat – don't wrinkle my maps, either. And I think my pillow needs some airing out, so can you please – ?"

"Are you giving me a list of things to do because you think it'll distract me from standing around, worrying about you? Because it's not helping," Sanji said flatly, frowning at him.

Law grinned at him, caught, and Sanji couldn't help but smile back. The taller man kissed him clumsily, then pulled away as gunshots rang out. Sanji had a hard time letting go of his hand, but once he did, Law was racing off with the others that were making their way to the front gates. Sanji turned away, hearing the sound of clashing swords in the distance. After some time, the sounds started to grow fainter, and fainter.

He was grateful for the list of things Law had requested of him. He looked at his ring once more as he made his way up the stairs, to clean up their mess in the library first. Then he'd start his dinner after.

: :

The villagers were alarmed at the strength and fury of the occupants of Flower Hill. What troubled them most was seeing that the rumors were true – that the spell Tsuru had cast was broken, and they were alive and well, again. Their battle cries were loud and drawn, and they charged at the villagers and mercenaries with vigor. The mercenaries were easy to tell apart from the others – they wore scars, hardened expressions, and an eagerness to draw blood of one of the executive team, to actually get a glimpse of the infamous Doflamingo.

The opposing group was conditioned, ready and strong for battle, but their tenacity was nothing against the Donquixote's power and thirst for revenge. People began to fall where they stood, as the defending group began pushing the fight away from the castle. Diamante made short work of the mercenaries with his sword, and whatever weapon he could pull. Machvise uprooted small trees and used them to swing as a bat. Trebol shot out his sticky snot to capture groups of men, and have others cut them down.

The other occupants of the castle – assorted guards, cooks, maids, butlers, and the like – they were just as adept in battle as the taller men. They savagely took down villagers that realized they were to be overwhelmed, and took the battle closer to the town. From the opposite end of it, black smoke curled up into the air, and a small explosion rattled the buildings.

Doflamingo was pleased, walking over still bodies between Flower Hill and the village entrance. The villagers and their mercenary friends had underestimated them, thinking they were weak from years long torment, spent underneath a spell. They had ignored their hunger for revenge, forgotten who had the power to rule over them. With how fierce and savage the others were, he hadn't even had to lift a finger to contribute. He only walked on, admiring the scene of devastation, the arbor set afire by a loose arrow.

Half an hour later, he finally had a chance to act, pulling snipers from windows, slamming them into the streets. Loose animals were running wild, calling out with fear as fire spread, and non-fighters screamed, running chaotically through the throng to escape. Women and children were looking for places to hide, but the entire village was surrounded. Corazon's team had made their way up from the back and pushed forward, so most of those still fighting were meeting in the middle.

Doflamingo caught sight of Law fighting with a larger man, pinning him down to administer some heavy hits. Then took off with his bow and arrows, using them to take down men running from Vergo off to their left. Once he was out of ammo, he was running off to take down another mercenary, to take his gun and unload it onto the man before moving on again. Baby was nearby, cackling wildly as she set fire to a clothes shop, an older woman running off with a line of kids behind her. The younger woman kicked in the face of a man that thought her an easy target, took his gun, and took out his friends as they tried to escape. After that, she took a torch to them, laughing as she chased after a woman struggling with house pets.

Doflamingo grinned proudly. The town that had feared them, punished them, had fallen in flames. Rebuilding it would be easy. Turning it around for his power and use would be just as simple. Jora shouted with glee as she stood over a single story house, canvases under one arm. Dellinger was biting the neck of a large mercenary that was trying to escape, and Lao-G was making his way through, kicking and punching anybody that charged him.

Doflamingo laughed merrily, arms upraised. This valley was his again, and he felt relieved, like a weight had been lifted from him. He would once again be in power.

"Doffy! Doffy!"

He looked behind him, hands in his pockets, unable to stop grinning. Corazon had a man under arm, who struggled mightily to be loosed. Once he approached him, Corazon dropped the man at Doflamingo's feet, and placed a heel on his throat to prevent him from getting away.

"This was the work of Rayleigh," Corazon said gravely, lighting up a cigarette. "That bastard is here, somewhere. He _pushed_ the villagers to attack against their will."

"Fuck me. That old bastard. That only makes this battle taste dirty," Doflamingo muttered. "Find Law, send him back to the castle to go hide his bride. Go with him. Only _we're_ able to resist that creep's power. Just remember, it's only a power of suggestion. Your will is stronger."

"You think he'd really bother with Sanji at this point?" Corazon asked him skeptically, pushing down hard with his heel to complete the act. "It seems too big of an issue to attack us and allow us to destroy the village just to get to him."

"This village is ours, yes, but I wouldn't put it past Rayleigh to take advantage and snatch up the harpy to attempt to use him as a hostage to negotiate with me. Frankly, it'll put Law in an uncomfortable position. He'll choose Sanji over us if it came down to it. I'd rather not that inconvenience." Doflamingo paused for a moment, the spoke shakily, “that child is my pride and joy. It’d kill me, as his father, to have to kill him for not putting me first.”

Corazon rolled his eyes as Doflamingo sniffled. "Law is loyal to us. He was looking forward to this moment for years. And Sanji's strong enough to recognize what Rayleigh's powers are. He'll fight him. If you fight with Rayleigh, you better call me to help out. There's no knowing how many tricks that old bastard has."

"He'll pay for this, that's for sure. Once and for all. That fucking coward can't run from a confrontation with me forever. If he thinks he can get to us by using stupid, lame tricks, well…he's wrong."

"And yet, we're in the middle of this village we weren't going to invade for another week…"

" _Must_ you ruin a good speech?"

"I'm going, I'm _going_ …!"

Corazon stalked off, calling out to others to help find Law. Doflamingo watched them go, then continued walking through town, approving of the chaos that he found. He was near the center of town when something caused him to look up. He avoided the thrown horse carriage with ease, hearing wood splinter and crack as it hit the street. Turning, hands still in his pockets, his grin widened.

"Ah, there you are," he said cheerily. "So… _you_ were behind this mess. Let’s settle this."

: :

Sanji could smell the heavy smoke coming from the village. The sounds had died down a little, but the castle was eerily silent still. He'd completed most of the tasks that Law had asked for, and was now in the center courtyard, airing out their pillows. He kept his mind busy, feeling a combination of guilt and reluctance upset his stomach. He had to admit, he was just as bad as the occupants for keeping the plan secret from them - he had just as much of a hand in it as Doflamingo and the others.

He pinned up the pillows, and a tataki-style stick to beat the items, before adjusting their shape and hitting it again. But he really wasn't into it, and he lowered the stick to his side, frowning at them as they dangled in front of him from a temporary line between trees. The maids had been working on others, their pillows hanging from poles and trees away from him, and the things they'd left behind to join in the battle made him feel as if the place had been abandoned once again.

He looked over his shoulder to see black smoke curling up to the sky, tinging the sun's light with a faint red. Then he looked back at the ring that glittered on his hand, sighing heavily. He hoped the older man was okay – Law had been training with Diamante, and had improved in those days in between, but it still didn't make Sanji feel any better.

He winced at the feel of guilt hitting him once more. He didn't know how he was going to make peace with himself in later years because of this. He reached up and unclipped the pillows, setting the tataki stick aside. He turned to head back to the veranda doors when his stomach exploded with worse pain than before. Enough to make him stumble, dropping the pillows. He exhaled slow, wondering if he worried himself into an ulcer, then crouched to pick up the pillows when an agonizing blaze of heat and uncomfortable weight flashed through his system, jolted his nerve endings.

He looked down at the pillows he'd dropped, and realized there was something wrong with the picture. His stomach didn't hurt because of his guilt and stress – he was looking at an arrow protruding out from his mid-section. Moments after he registered that, taking a step forward as shock rendered him mindless, another arrow pushed through him, jabbing between his ribs and protruding out.


	16. The Spell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thank you for your patience! I managed to snag some lost parts of the last chapter from my broken laptop, and found some unfinished chapters that I intended to follow this story up with. Unfortunately, it's not going to happen, so I added them to the last of this story. Thank you for your patience and understanding - I hope you all enjoyed the story! Thank you for all those that reviewed and gave your time to read!

**Chapter 16: The Spell**

Sanji grimaced, hand placed gingerly over his stomach as his entire body exploded with pain. He struggled to breathe calmly, but his thoughts burned with panic and fear. The arrows felt like individual pieces of fire alighting within him, and every breath caused him immense agony. His skin broke out with sweat, his teeth grinding together as he struggled to find a position that would allot him some comfort. He looked up once he realized he wasn't alone, the sun in his eyes making it difficult to see the individual approaching him.

His mouth dropped open before he caught himself, changing his expression to chagrin.

Zeff looked down at him with mild regret, bow held in one hand as he tutted. "Not exactly the happy ending you were seeking, was it? I heard what you did. One of the worst decisions you could make, choosing this family and that bitch for a companion."

It took Sanji a few moments to gather his thoughts into one place, but he looked up at the older man that had once saved him. He pushed away his feelings of betrayal and hurt to settle on fierce determination and stubborn will, because this man had given him away like he was mere property. He would survive this to spite Zeff.

"Old man," he said, aware that his breath was short and tight. "This was probably a more appropriate way of disposing of me, rather than giving me away to someone like Rayleigh."

Zeff wiped his nose, tossing aside the bow. It clattered over the stone walkway, Sanji glancing at it for future usefulness. But he didn't see any other arrows on the old man as he stood with his hands on his hips before him.

"You may not be down there, kid, but you've contributed by giving _that one_ freedom to do so. Just because you aren't participating doesn't mean you've not had a hand in it."

"I'm aware of that," Sanji spit, filling his chin and lips moistened by extra fluid. He took a few moments to compose himself. "But I'd rather my loyalty with someone that treated me humanely."

"You think I did this out of hate?" Zeff asked him, tilting his head. "You were just a child, and you tagged along behind me like some loyal puppy, doing whatever it was I commanded without a thought to yourself. Clearly, you're without will of your own! That's your own undoing, and that's why you're laying here in a pool of your own blood, today. This is mercy."

"How is this _mercy_?" Sanji cried incredulously.

Zeff lifted his chin stubbornly, then turned away from him. He began walking away, Sanji looking after him with utmost shock and horror. He looked down at himself, his hands dark red with his own blood. He coughed on the fluid that threatened to choke him.

"Don't try to find me, boy," Zeff then muttered. "Or it'll be your last."

Left alone, Sanji wondered why this was considered 'mercy'. He found himself unable to prop himself up any further, laying tenderly on his side. He could see the flowers dancing in their beds, growing freely and cheerily with their heads tilted towards the sun. He could feel his clothes being soaked with the growing pool of blood around him, and even at this moment, he hoped Law was okay.

: :

Law just missed seeing Zeff as he headed into the castle, Corazon complaining noisily about his shoes as he and several others walked through the Grand Hall. Zeff stealthily made his way out of the castle and lumbered down the main walkway, leaving behind the voices that chattered with light cheer. He wore a grim expression as he glanced at the sun, listening to the faraway noises that emerged from the village below. He figured there were a few precious minutes left in this last act of mercy. He figured Sanji would understand – if Sanji survived, that is. But Zeff didn't doubt for a moment that the boy would – the kid was stubborn and strong willed, and he figured, with a grim expression, that this wouldn't be the last time they'd meet.

After several minutes of searching, Law found Sanji in the center courtyard, and he lumbered to a stop as he saw the horrifying scene before him. His husband was lying in a pool of his own blood, which glimmered darkly underneath the afternoon sun; frightfully still and mortally wounded. He was dropping to his knees next to Sanji with a breathless cry, unable to process the sight of two arrows protruding from his mid-section. Law saw the abandoned bow nearby, and couldn't help but give it a kick as he shuffled around to have Sanji see him.

"Did you win?" Sanji asked him, his face pale as he looked up at Law's horrified face.

"Who did this?" Law asked, unsure of where to touch, but his shaking hands flitted over Sanji's shoulders, pushed his damp hair from his face. His voice failed him, and it emerged as a shaky bellow. " _Who did this?_ "

"Law," Sanji said, reaching out to grasp one of the older male's hands, wincing at the sight of his blood. He dropped his grasp with a wince, intending on sitting up. The pain flared and exploded, causing him a pained cry, Law hastily trying to assist him. But any movement was torture, and Sanji pushed him away to continue laying there, starting to feel fear creep up within him once more. Law twisted, calling out for Corazon in a panicked shout before helping Sanji rest his head upon one thigh. He reached out to Sanji's stomach, but it looked too risky to apply any sort of comfort as blood gushed through Sanji's shirt and continued to spill out on the rocky pathway.

"Did that hunter do this?" Law asked, face darkening with rage, shaking so obviously with building helplessness and anger that he was deaf and blind to anything else.

"No." Sanji struggled to swallow, but he coughed once more, fluid spilling out from the corners of his mouth and coating his chin. "Law, listen."

"You need help! Here, let me - !" Without finishing his sentence, he broke the arrow heads from the shaft, throwing them aside. When he made to pull the arrow from the fletching end, Sanji gave another pained shout, which ended the movement. It scared Law to see the other man in this state, but his mind was already running through the necessary medical treatment that Sanji needed immediately to survive. So with some resolve, he tightened his grasp and pulled slowly, each arrow removed and tossed. He then yanked off his jacket, ignoring Sanji's tortured gasps and cries before wrapping the material around him. He shouted for Corazon once more, his hands and wrists bloodied.

He returned his attention to Sanji, observing him for a few panicked moments before he cried out with another name.

Sanji looked at him with confusion, finding it difficult to focus. The pain was overwhelming him – filling his throat and his chest, causing his entire body to shake. He couldn't quite formulate his sentences, couldn't draw enough strength to call Law's name and force him to concentrate. All he saw and heard was a man in a dreadful panic, looking at him with pain similar to the one Sanji felt physically.

And for the moment, that felt comforting for Sanji. Someone looked at him for _him_ , and not as property. His fingers shook tremendously, but he managed to curl them around Law's, finding one hand applying pressure to his midsection while the other kept his head balanced atop of one thigh.

" _Thank you_ ," he said breathlessly, looking at Law with a forced smile. He struggled to continue speaking, but it felt like his breath was leaving him involuntarily, his throat tight.

"You're going to be fine. You're going to live, and you're going to get revenge, all right? Don't try to give any death speeches, because that's not going to happen," Law told him firmly, struggling to hold his expression when really, all he wanted to do was break down and panic. But Sanji was pale and listless, and there was no strength in his fingers. Law clutched them, releasing his hold on the material that quickly swelled with escaping blood.

"What is going on, here?" Tsuru asked with dismay, walking over with bewilderment. "What play is this?"

"Tsuru!" Law gasped, looking at her with relief. "Tsuru, _help him_!"

Tsuru paused just outside of the spread of blood, and clicked her tongue. "Oof, that is a dandy of a wound. Looks horrible, actually. Did this happen accidentally?"

"Enough of your casual observance! I wish for you to help him!"

Tsuru wore a troubled expression, hands folded behind her. "Unfortunately, I am no fairy godmother. My spells are created differently. As much as I wish I could assist, I cannot just wave a hand and mend things such as this without payment in return."

Law looked at her incredulously, then barked, "He is _dying_!"

"As have many innocent villagers have in the town, below," Tsuru pointed out firmly. "What makes this one death more valuable than the lives lost there?"

Law looked at her with building rage, making to stand up and strike but feeling the weight of Sanji's head on his thigh caused him to stay.

"When he is mended," Tsuru said slowly, focused on the rage darkening Law's features, "what will happen after?"

"He - ! He will _live_!" Law answered, looking at her with dismay. "He will live, and - !"

"And once he releases the name of the man who had tried to kill him, you will search for him, yes?"

"Of course!"

"More than likely," Tsuru said, her features starting to tighten with concentration, "that task will take you away from Doflamingo's control. As I assume Sanji's killer made a hasty getaway."

"I will find this man and remove him with my own hands - !"

"Beginning anew a new chapter of violence and torment," Tsuru said with a sigh. "With many more innocent lives caught in the middle of something that doesn't involve them."

At that moment, Sanji understood what Zeff meant. He gripped Law's hand with renewed strength, Law looking down at him with panic, supporting Sanji's head gingerly as Sanji turned to look at Tsuru.

"Instead of…healing me for the sake of healing," Sanji said slowly, having trouble forming his words, "make it a wish. With conditions."

"ARE YOU _INSANE_?" Law demanded of him, voice reaching a few octaves that had Tsuru wince.

But Tsuru nodded, looking to Law. "I will require a wish from you. But I will only grant it with certain conditions. Conditions that will undo the wish should they be disobeyed."

Law couldn't speak, his mouth dropping open as he stared at the woman with utter disbelief. Tsuru swallowed once she realized Sanji was having trouble hanging on, saying quickly, "Should I grant this man life from his mortal wounds, the conditions are as follows – you leave this valley, and _never_ return. You will never communicate with Doflamingo or his brother, again – I've noticed that he wishes for you to follow in his waddling footsteps, and you've already shown promise of – "

"Yes, yes, fine, I agree! _Whatever_ , just heal him!"

" _Law_ ," Tsuru said firmly, recapturing his attention once he looked to Sanji desperately. "If you fail to disobey my conditions, Sanji will return to this terrible state. And he _will_ perish. Do you understand?"

After a few moments, Law burned with hatred for being once again at the mercy of someone else's power. But he looked down at the man he'd fallen in love with, who was slowly fading away from him. At this moment, Sanji's face had taken on a strange, relaxed quality, and it seemed there was no more life to him. They were sitting in a widening puddle of his blood, and in the distance, Law could hear the continuing pillage of the villagers that had wronged them. He ached to be there; to have his hand in destroying others that needed destruction. But at the same time, he was grateful to be here in time to attempt to save Sanji when Sanji needed him.

Having been taken away from something he'd dreamed of doing for years, living life as a beast with no hope for a future, Law felt like something else was being forcefully stolen from him. Even as he fought Doflamingo's ideals and commands, he'd often pictured himself as one of Doffy's officers; becoming something of a success as a fighter, as a thinker. But then he thought about the places he'd planned to see with Sanji, for the adventures they'd have together.

And he couldn't bear the thought of having that taken away from him, too.

"If I make this wish," Law said slowly, hands cupping Sanji's face, "then I can no longer communicate with Doffy. I can no longer live here in this valley. I cannot return, I cannot…continue his bidding. Am I correct?"

"Yes," Tsuru confirmed.

"If I do any of these things, then…then Sanji will die."

"Yes. _Hurry_. Make your wish. For he is taking his last few breaths…!"

Law grit his teeth. He wanted the villagers to _suffer_. He wanted the old woman to suffer. He wanted to cling to the dreams of being someone others could fear; he'd grown up angry and wanting revenge for the unfair position he had been forced into, and those things would be taken from him because of magic.

But…

"Fine," he said slowly. " _Fine_ , I wish…I wish for you to save Sanji…and I will abide to the conditions you've placed, and…avoid…"

"You cannot return here," Tsuru stated. "You cannot even tell them goodbye. You must leave immediately."

Law looked at her with frustration, then around them. Looking at all the windows, waiting to see Corazon in one of them.

"If any should see you," she continued firmly, "then the wish will dissolve."

Law exhaled forcefully, looking down at Sanji with panic. He placed his hands, warmed with Sanji's blood, over his husband's midsection. The wounds that had been gushing earlier were now half hearted trickles, and he realized that he couldn't see the other man's chest rising and falling with any breath. He nodded.

"Then there isn't time to waste," he said low, feeling his head swarm with panicked thoughts that built with force over abandoning all those that he'd known; people that had taken care of him, that had saved him. He felt it was immensely fucked how he'd have to do so, but…

He looked at Sanji's face, and knew that life would be nothing without Sanji in it. He nodded again, fiercely, looking at Tsuru with renewed determined.

" _Save him_! I made my wish!"

"Then go," Tsuru said, indicating the back gate. " _Go_. There is a horse waiting for you back there."

Without any other words, Law hastily picked Sanji up from the walkway. He was awkward with the motion, Sanji's limp body deadweight in his arms, but he managed to do so. Tsuru watched Law struggle to stay upright, making his way towards the back gate with desperation to his features. She felt her face grow weighty with a frown, but she knew this was the best decision in this situation. Her magic would work – Zeff's _plan_ would work.

She hoped to never have to answer the pair's questions when it came to that.

: :

Doflamingo grinned as Rayleigh frowned at him, standing with strength at one of the alleyways nearby.

"What's wrong, old man?" Doflamingo asked him, hands in his pockets as he turned to face him. "This your work?"

"You're as despicable as ever," Rayleigh confessed lightly. "As a child, you were spoiled and rotten, and as an adult, you haven't changed. Taking your rage out on innocent villagers?"

"Comparing my actions to yours makes me the better person!" Doflamingo exclaimed, chuckling. "I've never preyed upon children, and yet you run around, claiming family-less boys as your playthings."

Rayleigh smiled at him. "You've made your choices, as I have. But my contracts are business – yours are nothing but the actions of a dictator. Your evil will be confined to this valley, and this valley alone."

"No, once I've pulled everything back under my rightful control," Doflamingo said grandly, taking a few steps forward, "then I've plans to expand my empire fuel this valley with successful business ventures elsewhere. It takes a village to take care of a village – there are mouths to feed, bodies to use to produce a glorifying spread, helpless and vulnerable people to take under a warm wing."

"It's almost humorous how you think of yourself as a village's savior, when everything you touch seems to wilt and blacken. Those that you save only adapt to your way of thinking – and people die. I want to point out that with my decisions, people don't die."

"You prey on the vulnerable, then move on to prey on others."

"But none of them are _dead_. In fact, they flourish and succeed, building their lives on adventure and strength; in fact," Rayleigh added with a thoughtful murmur, "I'm sure you've already been witness to that."

"You think of yourself as some godly savior?" Doflamingo questioned, his face tightening. "When you force others to do your bidding? This battle is dirty – they attacked before I could attack them, upon your command!"

"Don't flatter yourself," Rayleigh said calmly. "I did so to draw you out."

"You wished for a battle against me? I might be a little rusty with my self-control, but when it comes to power, I have no equal," Doflamingo said with a grin, hands lifting.

Rayleigh smiled lightly, then indicated for the man to make a move.

: :

On a horse outfitted with a small bag of supplies, Law struggled to hold Sanji steady on the saddle. They were on the main road out of the valley, and from this position, he could look back and see the chaos from here. While too far to see individual aspects, he could see burned buildings, moving cattle, crowds of people fleeing from one end to the other. He lowered his eyes to the road, the horse heaving with breath. Law had ridden the animal as best as he could, but he wasn't a horseman. Everything ached and hurt, and he was absolutely _positive_ he wasn't doing it right. He was quite positive his genitals shouldn't be hurting in such a way.

But Sanji's blood was no longer trickling over his arms, and the boy was even breathing softly against his chest. It seemed that the further they were away from the scene, the more that the harpy healed. Law _had_ to continue on. But he looked back because most of his dreams were still back there – how many days and nights had he spent planning this day of revenge with the others…?

He turned forward, prompting the horse to continue moving. The trail was steep, but the road was well used. They'd reach a boundary, soon, and Law realized he was without all his maps, plans and supplies that he'd planned on taking when he and Sanji ventured out on their first adventure together.

He grimaced, face to the sky. All that time planning – _wasted_! All his valuable lists and maps left behind in the flurry of a mad wish, and - !

He gripped Sanji tightly, sensing some movement from him. But Law needed to get them further away; get them both out of the valley and away from the others to make this wish work.

He grit his teeth, enraged for another reason.

: :

Corazon was smoking sullenly as Doflamingo dragged himself up the front walkway, wearing an exhausted and angry expression. His clothes, treasured and picked out with care, were mangled beyond repair. Shredded, burnt and wadded in indescribable places, Corazon tried not to laugh at him.

"You win?" he asked, lifting his eyebrows high.

"I feel like you're asking sarcastically," Doflamingo said with a sigh, hands on his lower back and pushing forward with a grunt. "I feel like you're attacking me just to attack me. I _told_ you we should've worn matching outfits – the deception would have been legendary."

Corazon rolled his eyes, then put out his cigarette. "We've another problem."

"Asides the fact that I don't know what to wear to my own coronation ceremony? This valley is yet again ours to control."

"Law is missing. His bride is also missing. Baby is currently cleaning up a very…very horrible stain outside. One of them is bleeding out, possibly dead."

Doflamingo paused in mid flutter, eyes narrowing. He straightened up, Corazon watching him sullenly as Doflamingo recalled Rayleigh's words. His hands went to his hips, which jolted forward.

"This explains so much," Doflamingo then said airily. He then tightened his voice. "Listen, Cora – this is the situation. I'm going to send a search party for our boy. More than likely, Rayleigh had a partner in this crime – they attacked Sanji to separate Law from our clingy clutches, and forced him to make a decision."

"I think – "

"And think about it – everyone under the sun knew I wanted Law to take over when I am elderly and unable to wipe myself. _Of course_ they chose to attack my vulnerabilities! They somehow connived together to successfully separate us."

"So, what are we going to do?"

"That _homewrecker_ ," Doflamingo then said incredulously. "Rayleigh sent Sanji in to destroy us from the inside, and he succeeded by taking Law from us!"

"…I don't think…"

Doflamingo narrowed his eyes, walking forward. Corazon had to follow him, their guards watching after them with uncertainty.

"I should've seen it from the start," Doflamingo muttered, shaking his head. "He fooled us with his vulnerability and fragile state. Instead, he was trained by two old men that knew _exactly_ what they were doing to weaken us."

"I think this is the heat of the battle that went to your head," Corazon said. "Because it was Zeff's horse I'd seen leaving the castle grounds."

"…Zeff? Did he…did he still have two legs? Or did beavers get to him? Those scoundrels."

"Perhaps Zeff felt guilty for the way he treated Sanji, and used Rayleigh as the distraction to spirit them both away."

"…That's too farfetched. Almost a fairy tale. I like my story better."

"I think," Corazon said carefully, using big words so that his brother could understand them, "that while Rayleigh planned to exploit us after our years long sleep, Zeff snuck in from the back to complete the task. I don't think they were working together – "

"Only one of you is right," Tsuru said, startling them both. She stood to their right, the guards reacting with alarmed cries as the brothers whipped around to look at her.

"Old woman," Doflamingo wheezed, hand to his heart, "I only appreciate these feelings in my most private of areas, but not in the open."

Corazon struggled not to make a face, but he lost the battle. Tsuru cleared her throat.

"Neither Zeff or Rayleigh were working with the other to complete the task," she said firmly. "Each had their own agendas. Only one agenda worked well. I've come to inform you that my involvement is a warning to you both – "

"How dare you come up in here and threaten us like this," Doflamingo muttered, shaking his head.

"He made a wish…and that wish will come undone only if either of you, or your men, set foot or word in his path. He has been instructed to leave this place, and its occupants, to find a life worth living out there in this massive world." Tsuru lifted an eyebrow as both of them looked at her with dismay. "In a way, I've saved him as well, from both of your influence. If it weren't for you two, he would have never wasted a majority of his life away as a beast."

"That's mighty kind of you – " Corazon said, chin trembling while Doflamingo steamed, barking out, "You old bat! I gave that kid life! I molded him into what he is today! He can't just leave us – his loyalty was to us, his family!"

"I gave him a choice, Doffy," Tsuru said patiently. "And he took the one that mattered most."

Corazon's hand flit to his mouth as he stifled a sob, Doflamingo looking down at her with a puzzled expression.

"What matters more than _us_?" he asked dumbly, gesturing at himself. "What could matter more than _me_ , his benefactor, his king? Where my whims are his to obey - !"

"Despite the way he grew up, he chose _love_!" Corazon sobbed, using the collar of his shirt to wipe at his eyes. "Thank me! _Thank me_ he still had some humanity left inside of him - !"

"You can't take all the credit. I am the _definition_ of love," Doflamingo muttered, shaking his head. "I am the one fairytales are written after – after all, one look at this lovely face – "

"He made the right choice," Tsuru interrupted the ramble, looking up at them skeptically. "For if he chose to stay and follow along with your flashy whims, he'd suffer the same fate as death. For him to choose another over his family, well…that should speak volumes of his loyalty…"

Both men stilled, then wore expressions of twin apprehension.

Corazon tapped his index fingers together and gave Doflamingo a severe frown. "Well, we _did_ bully him throughout his beastly years with our outrageous demands."

"That wasn't _bullying_ , that was tough love," Doflamingo muttered, reaching up to scratch at his singed hair. He then looked at Tsuru with impatience. "So who is the brilliant mind behind this endeavor? Because I'd like to have a few strong words with him…tell me, old woman, was it Zeff? Or Rayleigh?"

"You're _obsessed_ with him, you should stop," Tsuru said, turning away from them. "As it stands, Law will never return. And I'd advise against trying to reach out to him – due to the circumstances, he would lose everything if he should."

The pair watched her leave, her brilliant robes flashy against the castle's rocky structure. One of the guards let her out with a scowl, and the heavy doors closed behind her. Two of the guards struggled to lock it.

Doflamingo looked at Corazon, lifting his eyebrows. "I see several loopholes in this matter."

"I see you needing Baby's tweezers for those ghastly nosehairs poking your upper lip," Corazon said, Doffy covering his nose with both hands. With a heavy sigh, Corazon pulled out a cigarette. "Well, that ends the tale, Doffy. Law is free. It wasn't as if he hadn't done nothing in return for your services – he _did_ free us from the curse you brought upon us."

Doflamingo made to argue, then thought about the matter. Grumbling, he followed after his brother.

"How are we to break the news to the family?"

"We're just going to tell them that Law perished. That Sanji did it and fled under Rayleigh's orders. That's what I'm going to say."

"That's not true - !"

"I mean, if Law isn't here to argue his case, then how can we prove otherwise?" Doflamingo asked, striding ahead of him.

Corazon paused, looking up at the repair paintings on the wall. All they had left was a sullen child glaring at the painter, and his heart clenched with fondness. Despite the feeling of betrayal and loss, Corazon truly felt good about what happened. Law had chosen something beautiful, rather than something dark and never-ending; he had found something precious, and had the chance to do something better. Corazon was proud of him for leaving as he did. There would be no life for Law, here, other than what was happening now.

 _Good luck_ , he thought, hearing Doflamingo boom out his arrival to the others gathered in the family room. _I'm gonna miss you, kiddo_.

**: Months Later :**

It had been some time as the pair left behind the cursed valley that the Donquixote family had taken back over. They had been traveling ever since Tsuru issued a new spell that would revive Sanji from his fatal wounds, never looking back.

As days and nights passed, Sanji found himself wondering what the other aspects of their relationship held; he was nervous to press, his bad experiences with Rayleigh holding him back from trying, and Law's insistence on keeping his 'virtue intact' reminding Sanji constantly that this man had yet to experience any sexual exploration like Sanji had. It was on the back of his mind, but he wasn't going to push it. This was part of the reason why he forced Law to marry him – being more experienced in life, Sanji felt that he was protecting his best friend from others that might take advantage of him. Despite himself, Law was still a vulnerable man learning his position in life.

Months later, being away from the Donquixote family had been difficult for Law. Learning to be himself with Sanji had been an experience on his own, and Law kept pushing on for more, Sanji trailing along behind him, picking up the pieces when he had to.

Law was getting used to his human body. He tended to cause trouble with his brisk, indifferent actions, and unapologetic mouth. More experienced with fighting, Sanji often finished what Law started, but he was fine with that. Law had saved his life; in more ways than just the obvious one. Sanji wanted to be anything and everything for the other man in response; even if it meant following along with his impulsive whims and cleaning up after him.

But the more they traveled, the more it became apparent that settling down wasn't yet an option; the world was just too big, and Law was eager to explore as much of it as he could. With so much hope and expectation in exploring the next new thing, it only made sense to Sanji that they'd find more in their relationship later.

: :

The town they left behind was in shambles, and both of them were scurrying through a mountain pass with supplies and a bit of treasure. The bandits they'd taken it from where a little upset over the way they were left. Law's reputation was growing because of this notoriety, and Sanji was amused to see that their faces were being posted on town billboards in warning.

The next morning gave them a beautiful view of gentle mountaintops, fog lingering in the wide-open valley, finding a smuggler's path that would take them down to a large, muddy brown river. They could see watercraft moving through the currents, and smell smoke from nearby cabins. Birds called out with warning, and trees rustled with wildlife.

Law paused in the center of the path with a walk stick, observing the sight of a couple of brilliantly colored birds singing together. He had to dig out a sketchbook and his roll of pencils, Sanji sighing with relief. He needed the break. He lit a cigarette as Law took the few minutes to capture the birds with different colored pencils and observation notes.

Sanji took a seat atop of some rocks that were colored with moss, and removed his heavy backpack. Dressed in black pants with scuffed boots, a dark blue billowy shirt underneath a vest and a black, furred hooded jacket, Sanji was a far cry different presentation than he was when he first met Law. He was a teenager just growing into his limbs back then; now he was chasing after his husband's height, standing well below six feet.

Law stood taller than most men, his skin made darker by their travels, his wild blue-black hair hidden underneath a hideous furred hat he grew attached to from a town they'd visited earlier on. He'd grown a goatee, left his sideburns wild, pieced his ears, and tattooed his hands and arms – he lived in a black furred cape, jeans, boots and an assortment of black shirts. He looked more like the bandits they'd recently left behind, easily comfortable in the wild like a hunter, but spoke with such bewildering childishness that it betrayed his appearance.

He was working on it, though, Sanji pointing out the difference with much embarrassment and amusement of his own. Law often abandoned him in town to pursue area knowledge in libraries and persistent questioning of older people whenever he saw them. But he always returned to seek out Sanji when he remembered him. Like an absent-minded man, he often needed reminding that this world wasn't free for him to run over; he needed social cues to pull him back from his Donquixote roots.

"We're close to the north ocean, Sanji," Law said excitedly, turning a few pages to find what he was looking for and walking over to show the younger man his notes. He had to bend to do so. "Should we continue advancing to the water and finding a ship like we'd planned? Or continue on this route to further explore this side of the continent?"

"I think we should exchange some of this treasure for money," Sanji said, shifting his cigarette to one side, scowling when Law took it from him to puff on his own, sitting down next to him with a heavy clink of sound. "It's too much to carry on our own."

The cigarette smoke caused Law's eyes to squint as he inhaled and exhaled with much practiced ease, Sanji watching him with an adoring smile. But once Law looked at him, the expression was quickly gone. "We should steal off with horses, eh?"

"Or buy them."

"That's not as exciting, that's boring," Law complained. He shut his book, finding his map to cross off the town they'd left, adding notes to the side. He spit out the spent cigarette, Sanji looking after it with dismay. He was nearly out of tobacco. "Next town is a smaller one. We probably won't be able to trade for much. Just the essentials."

"When do we reach a larger spread?"

"Here, at this river bend," Law said, showing him. "We can exchange some of this shit for rolled coins. But if we carry horses, we can't stay at inns. There's too much potential for us to be robbed."

"You're worried about that?" Sanji asked with amusement.

" _Yes_. We stole this fair and square. Come along. Are you rested?"

"Yes. Are you?"

"I'm not that tired. After this town, we'll camp, okay? How are your blisters?"

"They're fine."

"Let me see."

Sanji removed his boots and socks to show him, propping his foot on his lap as Law unwrapped the bandages to check. Since his time as Beast, Law's hands and feet were more heavily callused than Sanji's, taking an incredible amount of stress than Sanji could. Sanji had lived as a kitchen worker, in a tavern run by Zeff, and hadn't done so much traveling as Law had. While he was a little tender in some areas, he didn't complain and he only kept up. Some nights, though, his feet ached and burned until he was able to walk again.

"How are your growing pains?" Law asked him curiously, shrugging off his backpack to rummage for the medicinal herbs he'd gathered along the way, testing them on his favorite subject. The ones he'd used recently seemed to soothe Sanji's blisters faster. After applying the mixture, he'd massage Sanji's feet, hoping the other man would feel better.

Sanji enjoyed the massage of his foot with a pleased expression, feeling his cheeks warm as Law's fingers treated him tenderly. He sneaked a peek at the man, feeling that warmth in his chest expand even further.

Law wrapped his foot, then lifted it to sniff it, making a face. " _Peew_! You need a bath."

" _You do_! Smelling like sour man ass! Worse than what you used to smell like as a dog."

"I used to roll around in flower patches, thinking it helped."

"Flea infested dog. _Ow_!" Sanji then protested with a laugh as Law popped his toes with a hard tug. He yanked his foot away to escape it. After Sanji pulled his socks and boot on, they were up and moving again.

: :

Seeing that the town board didn't have Law's mug on it, Sanji felt relieved. They paid for a room at the inn furthest in town, and took a much needed nap in a room shared by another traveling couple; a common occurrence with small towns. They slept on their treasure filled packs, holding hands, ignoring the sounds of the couple in the bed next to them. Hours later, they took advantage of the tub with the toiletries Sanji carried, and both of them wandered the area for somewhere to eat. They found it in a very small tavern, where they ate off the same plate and shared a mug of ale. It wasn't that long when someone found offense to their closeness –there was a pair of men with swords that decided to make snide comments about it, hoping to start a confrontation.

"At least finish your dinner," Sanji grumbled, picking at the overcooked steak, wondering if he should visit the kitchen to give the cooks some advice.

"Would be a shame if we were the cause of divorce," one of the men commented, leering at them, catching sight of their rings. "Which one of you is the woman?"

"I am," Law retorted with his low tone, causing the group to visibly fumble. Sanji looked at him with amusement, then looked at the others. Neither of them looked like the 'woman' in the relationship, but it irritated Sanji that they'd automatically assume it was him in the role.

"That's an interesting sword you're carrying. It looks like it originated from the west," Law then said, distracted as one of the men stood from his seat to pull it out of its sheath, Sanji watching them warily. Neither of them carried a weapon, but Law was very interested in swords, lately. His skill with one wasn't very coordinated, Sanji having had to interfere to save his head.

"It doesn't matter. What matters is how I'll use it to cut you down with it," the man threatened, much apprehension rising in those around them. Several men left their seats with discomfited expressions. "Then I plan on replacing it with another sword, from the north. The Kikuko."

"' _The_ Kikuko'?" Law repeated, interested. He lowered his fork, Sanji scraping up the last of the potatoes and vegetables with his own fork. "What's that?"

"It's an enchanted sword, buried in stone, that only awaits a worthy owner to pull it out! That man will be me," the man said, prepared to lunge.

"An enchanted sword…what makes it 'enchanted'?" Law asked while standing up, clearly interested in the fable. Sanji stood up as well, eyeing the man's friends with apprehension as they intended on backing up their friend.

"It gives a man great powers, capable of cutting through anything! And it'll be mine!"

"Where is it located?"

"Just never mind! You won't be seeing it at all!" the man shouted, lunging at him. Law deftly shifted to the side to avoid the swipe of the blade, grabbing a silver platter from a nearby table. He used it as a shield, food flying about as the others charged. Sanji kicked out at the man closest to him, then leapt forward once he made enough room to execute a spinning kick that took out the others. Once he sent men flying, Law focused on the one man, he stood to the side and let him have that fight. Those watching the scene understood who the stronger man was at seeing him take out so many men with one move, clearly apprehensive to interfere.

Law used the platter to keep the sword from hitting him, and asked, "Where exactly from the north is it located?"

"The Kikuko requires a worthy owner! And you're clearly not it! it'll be _my_ sword!" his attacker cried, growing frustrated every time his blade hit the platter. Once he landed a hit, he flattened his blade and pushed forward, his strength pushing Law across the floor. Law braced himself, slipped out from underneath and whipped around, slamming the platter over the back of his head with a loud bang. Once he had the man off balance, he kicked him in the back of the knees, knocking him off his feet.

The man hit the floor, and Law sat on his back, legs astride him as he asked again, "Where is this sword located? I'm asking _nicely_."

"Get off me!" the man shouted, furious as Law wrapped his arms around his neck, tightening his legs around his waist. Swinging the sword back over his shoulder, the man stumbled under Law's weight as he slowly rose to his feet, but Law released one arm to hug the blade close to him, Sanji wincing as he imagined the blade cutting into his arm. But with one smooth yank, Law pulled the sword out of the man's grasp and jumped backward, holding it with one hand.

He tested the weight with a face. "There's too much weight in the blade. This is nothing more than a costume piece. You should just give up altogether on trying to kill anybody with this thing. You're just a poser."

Red-faced, the man charged at him. Law turned the blade around to use the flat of it to swing hard and caught him upside the face. The blow connected with the man's jaw, clacking his teeth together, but he dropped heavily to the floor. Sanji was impressed – Law was getting better at striking at a man's weak points with freakish accuracy. Those anatomy books and hand to hand combat books he used to read back at the castle on Flower Hill had helped out with this.

Law then turned away from his felled opponent to look at the others, but found them all in various states of injury themselves. He looked at Sanji with accusation, Sanji shrugging.

"You're such a show off," Law muttered, embarrassed. He then pointed the sword at his opponent's friend. "You. Tell me more of this enchanted sword."

"It's, uh…it's located in the north. The location isn't exact, it's only a myth, really," he sputtered, looking nervously in Sanji's direction. "Near a place called Avalon. Because of its powers, the locals keep it a secret. You have to find it yourself. Even then, when you do, it's trapped in stone."

"That should be no problem. _This_ guy can kick through stone," Law said, whipping the sword around to point at Sanji, but he was too close, and Sanji ducked to avoid being accidently decapitated. " _Oops_."

"Shitty jerk!"

"Well, thanks for that piece of information," Law said, tossing the sword aside. "But I've decided that sword will be mine. Pay for our food, Sanji. I'm going to go out and ask about this Avalon."

He grabbed his backpack and left, Sanji looking after him with irritation. But he paid the nervous maid a little extra, and then paused in mid-shrug of his backpack, looking over the men that looked worried over their reputations; after all, Sanji looked too young and incapable of taking all of them at once.

"If this sword truly exists, who put it there in the first place?" he asked curiously. "An enchanted sword in a stone can only mean it's a troublesome thing."

"Aye, that's true, it is. It kept killing people without the owner's permission. The original owner died in battle, but before he did, he wanted his sword destroyed so that no one else could weld it," the guy said with apprehension. "So powerful Enchantress Tsuru – "

" _Tsuru_ ," Sanji repeated with a frown.

" – she forced it into stone so that no one else can have it. Many men have tried to pull it out, but to no avail. The sword refuses to go with anyone."

Sanji shrugged. "But I bet there's a flaw in her spell that'll make it easy for us to get this sword."

He walked out from the tavern, wondering if the sword was truly a sword, and not something Tsuru created to hide a flaw in a spell she'd cast – after all, it only took alcohol and a beautiful woman to throw her off her intended action.

: :

Hours later, Law found Sanji sitting just outside of town, enjoying a freshly rolled cigarette. He was carrying a couple of books and a new map, and seemed to be having a hard time trying to fit these things into his backpack.

"It'll be a week's worth of travel to get there," Law told him cheerfully.

"What do you want with a sword? You don't even know how to use one," Sanji complained.

"I'll figure it out. The old timers in the home to the east of town told me – "

" _You did not invade a retirement home for your information_ – " Sanji said with a horrified look.

"Old people are easy to intimidate," Law answered with a scoff, holding out his map while he took off his backpack. Sanji took it as Law stuffed his books into a tight pocket at the very top. "Besides, they don't have any faith in me. They kept touching my arms, saying I'm weak."

"Well…they're not wrong…"

"Shut up. How dare you. Where's your encouragement?"

"I don't know if this is a good idea," Sanji said slowly. "What would you want with this sword? If you do manage to get it, by the way…it doesn't sound like it's an easy task."

"The tale of the sword goes – it was once owned by a man who created it with the intention of getting revenge against a god that killed his family. All his despair, anger, frustration and grief were put into the sword as he created it, and as a result, the sword took a life of its own. It used these emotions as its power – able to cut through anything. I feel a bond with this sword."

Sanji gave him a skeptical look. "But you're not Beast, anymore."

Law looked at him, then smiled bashfully. "You became my reason to live. I don't know why, you're such a harpy."

Sanji chuckled. "Enough with the flattery."

"Personally, I don't have any plans for using it in any other way but enjoying the aesthetic of it. People would really find me intimidating, then."

"You're such a whale's dick."

"And you're such an old man!" Law retorted, reaching for his hand as they began walking. Sanji squeezed his fingers, looking up at him happily as they headed for the 'y' in the trail ahead of them.


	17. Epilogue: Red Riding Hood and the Sword of Avalon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I ended up inserting part of a sequel to this fic to end it - it seemed like such a shame to let it die, unread, in the depths of my scraps. The story ends here, though. I do not have any intentions of continuing the adventure.

That night, they built a small camp a mile off the trail, near a bubbling creek. After Sanji built a fire and caught some fish to cook, Law went about and constructed a lean-to. He used the vegetation around them to keep anyone from noticing their camp from a distance, and weaved branches through the poles to keep any possible rain off them as clouds had built overhead. He then hid their valuables in trees around them, leaving only their necessities close by.

After they ate, Law read as much by the fire as he could as Sanji laid nearby, snoring slightly. The area was quiet and peaceful, the creek ambling on without much rush to its destination. Owls hooted around them, and a slight wind picked up over head, causing leaves to tumble loosely around them. Deer wandered up to the creek on the other side, and grew spooked when Law turned the page. He found himself musing about the days when he was Beast and he used to hunt the animals easily.

Twelve years as Beast had left him fumbling in his human form. Enchantress Tsuru had changed him when he was 10 – so he missed out on the awkward teenage years, when his body changed and transformed into a maturing form. Everything about himself still seemed new to him, but he did admit a certain joy at seeing his human face in reflective surfaces. That person was still a stranger to him – Law still couldn't believe that was him looking back at himself.

He looked at his hands, his long fingers permanently etched with tattoos, his nails slightly long and rounded. It felt weird touching things as a human – sensation was a definite intensity. As Beast, his hands had been too tough to handle things with a delicate action; he crushed things easily, gripped too strongly – now he was aware of every action and feeling in his hands, and there was a big difference.

Especially when he touched Sanji. Sanji's skin was so delicate and smooth compared to anything Law had touched. Admittedly, Law felt too embarrassed to explore Sanji differently. When they kissed – Law was very embarrassed to do so – he did feel butterflies and a strange, hot swelling in his gut, an excitement that built and warmed over his insides, but he was afraid of the feeling. It felt too intense. How was someone supposed to handle that weird feeling to do more? He did like the way Sanji kissed him – very gently and tenderly, and he also kissed Law's hands from time to time.

Rarely, because Law jumped away, intimidated by it.

He'd changed into Beast when he was just a boy, and girls were 'scummy' back when he was ten years old. To break the spell, he had to fall in love, and the Donquixote family had terrible ideas in how that should happen. Books were hidden because Baby was a pervert - Doflamingo's words - and thus, Law didn't learn from them as he would have. No one explained sex to him; Doflamingo's warped ideas weren't very helpful, and Sanji seemed traumatized by what Rayleigh had him do. So Law wasn't sure how to sort out his feelings on physicalities in their relationship.

They hadn't consummated it – it took him a few weeks to even look up that word – and he wasn't even sure how that was supposed to happen if they were both males. Sanji respected his wishes, but Law often wondered if Sanji was just scared after his own experience with Rayleigh. After all, having a near 80 year old man force a teen to engage in sex acts wasn't exactly encouraging.

Law wondered if Sanji felt frustrated in any way, but he supposed he didn't. He looked over at Sanji now, worried. Was this aspect of the relationship important in a marriage? Would it change things? But Law just couldn't see how it was supposed to work. He was too nervous to explore his body, and he was, admittedly, scared of _how_ it worked. He was only a boy before he was Beast – and now, as a man, he wasn't sure how to explore this area of himself. He often left wondering if it mattered.

He closed his book up, tucking it underneath the roll of blankets they shared so that it wouldn't get wet if it rained. He then stretched out alongside Sanji, searching for his hand. Once he found it, he felt peace, entwining his fingers through his and feeling his answering squeeze. He looked the younger man in the face, trying to sort out the confusing feelings inside of him. He was too embarrassed to try and kiss him on his own – Sanji made that move, and usually after threatening him or demanding it when they were alone.

If Sanji were comfortable doing that, then it must feel good to him. Law licked his suddenly dry lips, looking down at Sanji's. He liked how soft and pink they were – he liked them the best when they were smiling. Sanji had rarely smiled when they first met, so when he did – it caused Law's heart to stop just for an instant. He should've known then that he'd fallen for the other man, it was so _obvious_ – but as one barely exposed to it, Law had no idea what to do with love and the rest of it.

Besides, what if he made a move toward Sanji, and Sanji rejected him, or made fun of him for it? He would be too nervous to make another move. He then shrugged, settling for sleep. The sounds of the insects and night animals around him lulled him to comfortable sleep, his fingers tightly clasping Sanji's.

In the morning, he was woken by Sanji shaking him gently, saying breakfast was ready. Law sleepily rolled over, wanting more time to sleep. He heard the other man moving about, washing their clothes, and Law did go back to sleep. Sanji shook him awake again, the smell of coffee close to him, Law sat up suddenly. He stretched and yawned, the brisk morning air making him shiver.

"We're closer to sea elevation," he said randomly. "It's much more humid and cooler in these areas. Did you know that our lungs are stronger than those closer to the sea?"

"That's good to know. We're in better shape to keep ahead of our pursuers," Sanji said lightly. He was wearing a kimono-type robe over his pants, shirtless while his other clothes dried on the line nearby. While he lacked muscle tone, he had a long torso to grow into, his ribs slightly visible, and he had two visible scars where the arrows had pierced him.

Law wondered if Sanji felt self-conscious over himself. He wondered if Sanji thought the same things as him. He looked down at himself, plucking at his shirt. While aware that he had a longer body, that he had muscle because he was skinny, he wondered if Sanji desired him.

He wondered if he should just _ask_.

But he felt too embarrassed. As he sipped at his coffee, holding off on the feeling of wanting to take a piss, he mapped out a time line in his head. He would have to plan ahead to explore making their relationship physical. He would map out the inevitable goal with some questions, hypothetical action, some testing. He searched for his journal, starting a fresh page while Sanji finished washing their clothes.

After Law felt satisfied with his timeline, he ate hastily, then wandered off to use the bushes. When he came back, Sanji threw the bag of toiletries at him and told him to take a bath and wear some perfume because he was having a hard time getting his body odor smell off his clothes.

While Law bathed, Sanji found his clothes and brought them over. He picked up the small tackle box they used to string fishing line. He set a couple of lines and waited for Law to finish dressing – the man was self conscious about exposing himself to him, often yelling out at Sanji to 'not look' until he was finished.

Sanji felt worry for his husband; Law was still so childish. _So innocent_. As if he'd been caught in a suspension of time as Beast, and re-emerged as a ten year old once again as the curse was lifted. Sanji could imagine the type of people that would take advantage of this – men like Rayleigh, who enjoyed gathering young men to use before dumping them and moving onto to another. Or like Zeff, who worked them without feeling, giving no regard to their well-being in the end. All Sanji had were bitter memories from men that didn't give a damn about him; in the end, so he assumed that everyone were the same.

He didn't want his friend to fall prey to a man like this, and he didn't regret forcing him into marriage. At the same time, he acknowledged that that choice was still on a level similar to those men – he was still forcing Law's hand to suit his for some selfish reasons. He tried not to think of it that way.

Hours later, the afternoon was warm, and the sun was pleasant on their skin. Their clothes were drying on the line, flapping neatly with the breeze. Small animals were taking advantage of the creek from the other side of them, and a lizard sunned itself on some rocks nearby. Law had been sketching them, and Sanji had spread out a blanket nearby to nap off and on, taking advantage of the quiet.

When the time was right, Law showed him the new map with Avalon as their destination.

"Look, are you serious about this weird sword?" Sanji asked, pulling up a foot to pull off his boots.

"Yes."

"You know, Tsuru was involved in it."

" _Tsuru_ ," Law repeated on a hiss.

"I'm just saying."

"Sanji," Law said, sitting next to him with an impatient huff, "You'll do this with me, right? You can break through stone with your feet. If you can kick metal off dungeon cells, you can kick through stone."

"I'm working my way into kicking into bedrock. Only Zeff was able to do that. Oh, and bend metal."

" _With one foot_?"

"Yes."

"Wow. If he weren't such a jerk, I'd be impressed." Zeff was responsible for Sanji nearly dying; Law didn't want to think about that. The anger he felt warmed him far faster than the fire ever could. If they ever ran into that man again, Law would make sure Tsuru wouldn't be around to save him. He often fantasized about looking into that man's face as he died. And Rayleigh, Law added. Both of them he wouldn't mind slow deaths. He struggled to put that aside. "But you can do better. You're young and strong, and I believe you can do this. I bet if you focused all of your anger and all that into a kick, you can break through an island floor!"

"That's ridiculous," Sanji said with a chuckle, cheeks warming with the praise. "There's no way anyone has that sort of power."

"I bet you can. We'll just check in with Ussop and then continue on our way to Avalon. Because of its power, the locals are reluctant to talk about it."

"And, it probably won't come out when you pull it. it probably won't respond to you."

"You don't know that. I do have all this lingering anger and darkness about me."

" _Hah_ , I guess," Sanji said, looking at him with amusement. "It's hard to see that, now."

"Why?"

"You're just a whale's dick. I'm going to go set some traps for smaller game. Birds? Rabbit? What would you like?"

"Sanji. Is this really okay with you?" Law asked him curiously, reaching out to stop him from putting on his boots. "This constant movement? I know we talked about it a lot, but to be actually doing it…I…I want to know if you're still okay with it."

"As long as I'm with you, I don't care what we're doing," Sanji answered softly. "I knew you'd want to travel once you regained your human form – I'm not against it."

"But this is a choice _you're_ making, right? This is _your_ choice. You're not just doing this for my sake…well, even if that were true, we'd still do it, anyway, because this is something I'd want to do."

"Yes," Sanji said firmly, holding his hand. He lifted his knuckles to his lips, kissing them. "This is _my_ choice, to follow your wishes. But seeing the world with you is great, too. I'd never imagined seeing it from this point of view – it was always just following after Zeff, in pursuit of a place to make money."

"Are you happy?" Law asked tentatively. "Because I know I'm supposed to be doing something, I'm supposed to be – "

"Asshole. I'm _very_ happy. Stop making me repeat myself."

"I mean, with…with, uh…being a man. Being…a proper…doing _husband_ things," Law stuttered nervously, feeling his face warm. That wasn't the question he wanted to ask, but since it came out, he was just going to go with it. Sanji gave him a surprised look, releasing his hand.

"Yes. I'm fine. A-are you?" he asked, forehead furrowing with concern. "I'm aware that I might be lacking, and…I was worried I wasn't giving enough."

"That's crazy. _Of course_ you give enough! I don't think you should worry about it," Law added with a nervous huff, pulling his knees up. "I think we're good."

"Okay," Sanji said after a few moments, giving him a puzzled look. He reached out to pat his shoulder as he stood. "I'm going to set some traps. I'll be within whistling distance."

Law cringed at himself. He muttered with some annoyance over his line of questioning. He'd asked his questions out of line, and Sanji's responses really gave him no confidence. But he wanted to know if he were doing the right thing, and he wanted to know if Sanji wanted physical additions to their relationship. He was nervous about that entire topic – but because it was present, he knew he had to ask about it.

Hours later, they were resettling in the lean-to, and Sanji was setting the mosquito netting over both of them, light incense burning to keep the pests away. The fire had died down low, and he had set a thick piece of wood within the center of the pit. Law listened to the wolves howl in the distance, an owl calling out overhead. When Sanji finally resettled onto the blankets next to him, he heaved a tired sigh, searching for his hand.

Law closed his fingers over his, lying on his back to stare up at the lean-to's roof, mind buzzing with thought. He wondered if he should ask Sanji if he wanted more, feeling anxiety about it. Now was the perfect time to ask, because he felt that if Ussop did want to travel with them, maybe they wouldn't have this privacy, anymore.

He opened his mouth to ask when Sanji said, "Do you think of returning to your hometown?"

Surprised by the question, Law found himself fumbling. "Huh? No. No, it was destroyed by a fire. There was nothing left when I left."

"How did you get separated from your family?"

Law paused, furrowing his brow to think about it. He thought of the chaos of that night – it was so long ago, and it was traumatic, and he'd only been a child when the disaster struck. All he truly remembered were flashes of panic and anxiety and the sight of people on fire, running in circles with horrendous screams.

He did remember holding onto his little sister's hand, Lamie struggling to keep up, her lungs full of fluid – she'd been sick for some time, and they had been at the hospital as his parents tried to combat it. But when the hospital was evacuated, they had to run. His father was guiding them to a caravan, intending on getting them all to safety. But he remembered how a house fell apart in their path, and he'd shoved Lamie to their father, desperate to get her to safety.

He must have succeeded. He _must_ have, because he couldn't see them anymore, and the roar of the flames were so loud that he couldn't hear any screaming. He remembered turning away from that part and running back the way they'd come, and finding comfort in cool air in a canal. He remembered dropping into the water, splashing frantically with his feet touching the bottom, letting the water carry him out from that section of the city. Flames roared around him, eating everything in sight; the heat was horrendous.

He'd forced himself underneath the shallow water a few times in an effort to escape the heat, but he couldn't find that much relief. He remembered choking and swallowing dirty water, flailing just to move with the current, until he popped out against a blocked duct, debris in his path. He'd crawled out of the canal, and started running again. By the time he escaped the city, it was nothing but orange and brilliant black smoke.

So he told Sanji everything he could remember. When he reached the end of that memory, of Doflamingo saving him from the slavers that wanted to sell him, he felt that pang in his chest. That man had _saved_ him. Doflamingo had been good to them, and Law had abandoned him without a second thought.

He often wondered if Doflamingo was angry at him for this. Betrayed. But he could never ask. If he attempted to, Sanji would die.

Sanji tightened his hold on his hand, silent as he absorbed Law's story. Law turned to look at him, to see what he was thinking. Sanji lifted up onto his elbows to look over him, a slight frown to his face.

"What if they were still alive?" he asked softly. "Wouldn't you want to go find them?"

Law shrugged. "I'd always imagined doing so, but…what if they weren't? It would be painful if I searched for them, only to learn this."

"But there's a possibility."

"There is, but I'd rather not be disappointed. Not at this time. I think that if they are, and if it were meant to be, then we'd run into them on our travels. As it is, I don't have any destinations close to that area. What about you? Don't you think of checking in with your family?"

"No. They're furthest from my mind, and I'd like it that way."

"Must've been pretty bad for you to run away as a child, and allow yourself to be comfortable in the company of those men," Law said.

"It was. That's all I'll say." Sanji then leaned over to kiss him lightly. "Sleep, now. We have some distance to go. I don't want to wake up and see you doodling, either."

In the morning, he woke up to Sanji kicking him lightly with the gruff order to wake up and eat. With a sleepy expression, he drank his coffee and ate his food as Sanji busied himself with cleaning up their campsite.

It was a very long walk to the next town, but time could pass quickly when it was just the pair of them together.

: :

Later that morning, they came upon the boy sitting atop of a rock with an armful of stolen bread loaves, a brilliant hooded red cape, and a happy expression upon seeing them. The air seemed to shift noticeably.

" _Hi_!" the boy cried merrily, waving at them as if they could miss him. He was young, a teen growing into his absurdly strong body, but he wore a scar under his left eye, a patch of rashes on his exposed skin, and what looked like a band-aid over the top half of his right ear. "Thank the gods you're here! I've been sitting here for _hours_! I think I'm lost. I was hoping to find some help."

"Where are you headed?" Law asked with a heavy reluctance.

"My grandpa's house," the boy answered, stuffing one of the loaves into his mouth and chewing grandly. When both men continued staring at him, waiting for the rest of the answer, the boy shrugged. "My name's Luffy, I'm a Taurus, my favorite color is red, and I get scared when – "

"What _town_?" Law stressed.

"Oh, well…uh…see, that's the hard part. I don't know where my grandpa's house is actually located. I was just given a map and told to follow it until I got there," Luffy said, pulling out a folded piece of paper.

Law took it, opening it. Once he saw the content, he gave the paper a disbelieving frown, lowering it slightly to look at the boy. "Is this a joke?"

"I might've strayed off the path, _somewhere_ ," Luffy said with a shrug, scratching one patch of rash on his forearm. "I went north because north is high, but somehow lost the trail."

Law looked back at the map again. Someone had drawn the town behind them within a simple circle – then connected 'gpa's house' (along with a mustached snarling face) to a big 'x' at the end of the page. There were no details in between. Pulling out his map to Avalon, he had the entire mountain pass lined out, complete with off trails, split roads, arrows, and important details that would lead them directly to the town. When he aligned the piece of paper with that map, the 'x' landed atop of a lake on the far northeast side of the mountain pass. Directly out of their path.

"Your grandpa lives near a lake?" he asked.

Luffy shrugged. "I don't know."

"Have you been there, before?"

"Nah. I never met him, really."

" _You never met this man_?"

"This will be my first time, I have to deliver him something," the boy said cheerfully, picking up a small bag to show it off. He paused to scratch at his face. "I looked in it. It's just a bunch of rocks."

Law stared at him incredulously. "Who drew this for you?"

"My brother, Ace. He doesn't know where he lives, either. But he said grandpa said he lives near some boats and houses. Not by the side, and not by the river, either. Somewhere over this mountain pass."

"Has he been there? After all, drawing this map, he must know where your grandpa lives."

"He doesn't either. We ran away from home when we were little. All he remembers is grandpa living somewhere by the water."

After a few moments, Law wadded up the map into a tight ball and tossed it behind him. He then started walking away, Sanji following after him with a questionable look cast at the boy.

" _Wait_!" Luffy cried, jumping down from the rock to retrieve his map. He then hurried over to join them, attempting to smooth out the wrinkles. "How about if I walk with you to the next town, then? I'm sure I'll find my way around then. Where are you headed, to?"

"Avalon," Law told him grumpily.

"What's there?"

"None of your business."

"Where is it?"

"North."

"Why are you going there?"

"None of your business."

"How are you going to get there?"

" _Walk_."

"Do you think there's a better way to do it?"

"Do _what_?"

"Walk to Avalon. Isn't there an easier way to do it? Because I'm bored, already."

"Then why are you walking with us?"

" _Oh_!" the boy paused, then looked over his shoulder at Sanji. "Oh, you two are walking _together_?"

" _YES_!" Law answered impatiently. Sanji tried not to show any humor by Luffy's awestruck expression, but he failed miserably.

"Because if you weren't going to answer me, then I was going to ask him for help. But you answered me, first, so now I don't have to ask twice in a row."

When he didn't get a consent from either of them, Luffy sighed heavily as Law paused to open up a book, examining what looked to be berry bushes just off the trail. Sanji meandered over to try a couple berries. The silence was too intense for those few moments, and Luffy couldn't handle it.

"So, my brothers and I are actually really amazing guardians," he said, hands on his hips. "You guys want to hear some tales? I'll tell you a few!"

"No one said anything," Law grumbled. "Go play in the street."

"There are no _streets_ in the _mountains_ ," Luffy told him flatly, then perked up. "My grandpa trained us to be great fighters, and great magic users! Well, I'm not that great at magic – my brother, Sabo, he's the best out of all of us.

"Hey, do you know that there are three rules of magic?" Luffy asked Sanji as he followed after him, counting off on his fingers. "You can't use it to raise the dead, you can't make people dead, and you can't use it to make life. That's the three basic rules."

"Okay," Sanji said, wondering if Tsuru was aware of that.

"But everything else is free game!"

"So, why not use magic to get to your grandpa's?" Law asked impatiently.

"Because I only use my magic to kick ass," Luffy said with a chuckle. "Ace uses his to destroy stuff. And Sabo fixes our mistakes. That's how it works."

"All of you sound very troublesome."

"Oh, no, we're _rambunctious_ ," Luffy corrected.

Law stared at him wordlessly.

"What kind of magic?" Sanji asked curiously. Luffy looked delighted that he'd asked, and Sanji thought to take back his question before anything weird happened. But Luffy jumped away from him, red cape flaring around his shorts, and he cleared his throat grandly, Law lowering his book with a suspicious look.

"Stand back, men, this might be dangerous!" Luffy reached behind him to withdrew a wand that looked like an old thigh bone – but it was cut sharp at one end, and the handle was sticky with something that looked like old leaves mixed with quartz. Since neither man knew what he was capable of, they only stood there with curious expressions.

He brought the wand down, and the ground around them exploded, bursting upward with a powerful enough force that they went flying with startled shouts. The berry bush disintegrated in a great show of violent force, throwing branches, leaves and berries in every direction. The ground was flattened, brush burnt into charred nothing – it was almost as if a god had reached down from the heavens and punched into the earth with an immense barrel of gunpowder clutched within one fist.

Sanji immediately jumped on Luffy, snarling, " _Damn_ you! You nearly killed us both! What is wrong with you?"

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Luffy apologized with a wince, Sanji stretching out his rash covered cheeks. "I won't do it again, it was an accident, I swear…"

Sanji walked off to look for the backpack he'd been tossed right out of. Law looked after him with worry, searching for any injuries that Sanji would keep from him.

Noticing this, Luffy said very low to Law, "Do you have a crush on him, or something? You guys keep looking at each other funny. I feel like you're plotting on killing me for dinner when my back is turned."

Law glared venomously at him. Luffy picked himself up, wand sliding back into its holster hanging from the back of his belt.

Sanji wandered over with a cautious expression, sensing some tension.

"We can just walk with him to the next town, Law," Sanji then said. "We're going in the same direction."

"Just to the next town," Law grumbled, Luffy lightening up and clapping his hands with delight.

"Great! Thank you! I appreciate you both, you're both saints," he crowded happily. "I'll write songs about you both! I'm an excellent singer. Want to hear a beautiful song?"

By the time they reached the next town, all of them were relieved to see the larger sprawl that took up most of the valley. The ferry service on the river boasted of larger boats, ships the boomed with rattling horns as they passed each other. Smoke from stacks filtered up to the sky, pushing out scents of burning wood and spices. There was a gondola service that lifted straight up into the mountains, busy with transporting locals to and fro. Grandscale houses with towering churches lined the streets, which were paved and well maintained. There were roads for horses and carriages, and roads for pedestrians.

The only thing that set them back was the guard booths that encouraged travelers to produce papers and ID, of which caused Law and Sanji discomfort. Luffy hurried on ahead, pulling out his paperwork when he realized that the others were scuttling to the side of the road, headed for some dense foliage that would keep them hidden from travelers coming up the path. Luffy hurried back, following with a puzzled expression. Sanji was pulling his pack off and setting it to the side while Law was looking at his map, giving the mountains a skeptical look.

"What's wrong?" Luffy asked. "The road is that way."

"We can't go through town," Sanji told him tired, pulling off his boots. "We don't have that sort of ID with us."

"Why? Everyone does around here," Luffy said, brow furrowing. "Most towns in the north require it because they want to discourage bad guys from sniffing around their treasures."

"Our story is a little more complicated for people," Sanji answered, lighting up a cigarette.

"Well, that sucks," Luffy muttered. "I was hoping to keep going with you guys."

"I promised to bring you to the next town, so here it is," Law interrupted, marking off some points of the map. "Run along."

"Well, now I can't. You guys don't have proper paperwork. Look, it's my job to help people when they're in trouble. Who do I have to kill to ensure your safety?" Luffy asked, wand out with a threatening expression.

"You're not killing anyone!" Law snapped impatiently at him. "We'll just go around. Avalon's not that far ahead."

"Oh. Well, I was kinda looking forward to some action. If you're bandits, then I should -"

"You can do something for us," Sanji then said, opening his pack to open up a book that held letters from Ussop. "My friend lives here. If you can find him and pass on a message, that'd be very helpful."

"I can do this," Luffy assured him, putting his wand away. "Who is it?"

"His name is Ussop, and here is his address. We'll just camp out here until you return."

"Okay. I can read," Luffy assured Sanji as Sanji pointed out Ussop's address. "My older brothers made sure of it. You guys aren't actually criminals, are you?"

"No."

But Luffy noticed the way Sanji found interest in the sky, and Law was deliberately ignoring him. Luffy scowled, envelope lowering to his side.

"Honestly, do we look like criminals?" Sanji asked him, gesturing at himself. "We're not bad people. We're just traveling to get somewhere."

"Avalon?" Luffy questioned. "Is that where you want to settle down?"

"I'm looking for a sword," Law said, folding up his map and making his way over. "The Kikuko."

"The enchanted sword? _That_ one? The one that's stuck in stone? Put there by the great enchantress, Tsuru?" Luffy cried with rising excitement. "I know what that is! But if you're not with papers, then that must mean you're looking to get it for all the wrong reasons…"

"I've never seen an enchanted sword, before," Law insisted lamely.

"Well, I guess…but its destructive powers are really something that Tsuru felt needed to be contained. That's why she won't allow anyone to get it."

"I really don't want to hear about Tsuru right now."

"Do you know her?"

"We're acquainted. Say, you wouldn't happen to know of any beautiful, single women who like older women that would love to accompany us in case we run into her, do you?"

"…No…?" Luffy replied, giving him a bewildered expression.

"Look, the point is, we're getting to Avalon with or without papers," Sanji said with a sigh. "But it's important that Ussop knows we're here. He's been expecting us."

"Okay, Sanji. I will do this for you. Don't take off!" Luffy then said, hurrying off, Law scowling after him.

Left in silence, the pair of them stood awkwardly. Little did either of them know that their adventure was going to grow into something bigger.

**\- The End -**


End file.
